Report focuses on Michigan's zero-tolerance expulsion law

On June 24, 2009, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan released a comprehensive report that examines the severe disciplinary policies and practices that push children permanently out of the classroom and into the criminal justice system. “Reclaiming Michigan's Throwaway Kids: Students Trapped in the School-to-Prison Pipeline documents and analyzes data from 40 Michigan school districts that shows how the frequent use of suspensions and expulsions contributes to our high drop-out rate and how these suspension practices hit African American students the hardest, putting them on a high-risk path to incarceration. During the 2006-2007 school year in the Ann Arbor School District, black students received 58% of all suspensions despite making up only 18 percent of the secondary school population.

This trend is reflected in school districts statewide. The study found that one significant contributor in Michigan's school-to-prison pipeline is the lack of due process for students in suspension and expulsion hearings. Unfortunately, due process policies and procedures to remove students from Michigan's public schools vary from district to district. To combat this problem, the ACLU recommends uniform statewide procedural protocols for the discipline of students that ensure students accused of misconduct have full and fair opportunities to explain their actions and otherwise defend themselves. In addition, Michigan's zero tolerance expulsion law, which is broader in scope than federal law requires, also contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline. Federal law requires that states receiving federal education funds must enact a law mandating one-year expulsions of students who posses firearms. However, Michigan's law goes a step further and requires the expulsion of students who possess a “dangerous weapon.

In many instances, well behaved, unsuspecting students have faced serious consequences for carrying items that do not necessarily reflect this definition.

To find a link to the full news release and report, click here.