Project A.W.A.R.E. (Emotional Literacy/School to Prison Pipeline)https://sites.google.com/site/sdprojectaware/meet-reggie
I believe that every person at one time or another has thought about suspension and expulsion from high school. I also believe that we have all wondered the same question but quickly shrugged it off. Why suspend or expel kids from school that do not want to be there? Some of us, most likely future educators, followed that up with, if the school is not willing to help them, who will? At the time this crossed our minds we probably had an idea they were headed for a hard road, but I doubt most of us truly understood that 75% of them would wind up in prison. Not only is that number alarming and this problem in dire need of attention, it has also earned the name “The School to Prison Pipeline”.
Shannon Hampton Garcia presented the numbers and stats that support this problem and call attention to the correlation between prison and high school dropouts. She has shown not only her passion to address this problem but also combined efforts with Project AWARE’s CEO, Reggie Washington, to do something about it. She has implemented Project AWARE at Rancho Buena Vista High School and is showing the incredible results of this innovative program instantly.
Reggie Washington, the founder of Project AWARE is an ex-con who has devoted his life to making a difference in the lives of troubled teens. This modern day crusader has walked a mile in the shoes our youngsters are growing into and is determined to use his second chance at life to combat the school to prison pipeline. He speaks about the importance of emotional literacy and that many of our students are not learning the life skills that so many of us take for granted.
These students that are on the perverbial fence of making decisions that will lead to a future in society or a life in the correctional system need to be taught, more so than others, not discarded. Too often teachers and school systems are taking the easy way out and eliminating these students through suspension or expulsion, as to not disrupt the rest of the students learning or more realistically be a liability and headache to faculty. Not to imply that all students’ needs are not important, but most students have the support structure to handle the disruption. Have we not come far enough in this society to do what is right, opposed to what is easy and understand that preventive maintenance is necessary. Passing the bill has become far too prevalent in our society but has no place in education and we need to take responsibility in this. We may not be literally killing these students, but the data shows that we are consciously throwing their life away.
I do not really remember the names of the other speaks or what their message was other than to take notice and take an interest in their lives. Reggie’s students offer insight and were good stories to hear but what I will take to the classroom with me in the future came from the powerful presentation Reggie gave. I will focus on developing emotional literacy skills and keep in mind that my students need to be here and it is my duty to not give up on any of them. I will not be the one providing administration with the burden of throwing another student away.
I believe that every person at one time or another has thought about suspension and expulsion from high school. I also believe that we have all wondered the same question but quickly shrugged it off. Why suspend or expel kids from school that do not want to be there? Some of us, most likely future educators, followed that up with, if the school is not willing to help them, who will? At the time this crossed our minds we probably had an idea they were headed for a hard road, but I doubt most of us truly understood that 75% of them would wind up in prison. Not only is that number alarming and this problem in dire need of attention, it has also earned the name “The School to Prison Pipeline”.
Shannon Hampton Garcia presented the numbers and stats that support this problem and call attention to the correlation between prison and high school dropouts. She has shown not only her passion to address this problem but also combined efforts with Project AWARE’s CEO, Reggie Washington, to do something about it. She has implemented Project AWARE at Rancho Buena Vista High School and is showing the incredible results of this innovative program instantly.
Reggie Washington, the founder of Project AWARE is an ex-con who has devoted his life to making a difference in the lives of troubled teens. This modern day crusader has walked a mile in the shoes our youngsters are growing into and is determined to use his second chance at life to combat the school to prison pipeline. He speaks about the importance of emotional literacy and that many of our students are not learning the life skills that so many of us take for granted.
These students that are on the perverbial fence of making decisions that will lead to a future in society or a life in the correctional system need to be taught, more so than others, not discarded. Too often teachers and school systems are taking the easy way out and eliminating these students through suspension or expulsion, as to not disrupt the rest of the students learning or more realistically be a liability and headache to faculty. Not to imply that all students’ needs are not important, but most students have the support structure to handle the disruption. Have we not come far enough in this society to do what is right, opposed to what is easy and understand that preventive maintenance is necessary. Passing the bill has become far too prevalent in our society but has no place in education and we need to take responsibility in this. We may not be literally killing these students, but the data shows that we are consciously throwing their life away.
I do not really remember the names of the other speaks or what their message was other than to take notice and take an interest in their lives. Reggie’s students offer insight and were good stories to hear but what I will take to the classroom with me in the future came from the powerful presentation Reggie gave. I will focus on developing emotional literacy skills and keep in mind that my students need to be here and it is my duty to not give up on any of them. I will not be the one providing administration with the burden of throwing another student away.