We live in a country that believes that education is the way
to a greater opportunity. From birth we
tell our kids that college is the goal to a better life. But what happens when we create policies that
push young people away from the chance at an education? What happens to the young people who want to
be in school to continue learning, but our laws reject them? Many of those young people find success, but
we know that sometimes the story ends differently. Our prisons are filled with people, people
who we love, who were pushed out from the chance to go to school and the chance
to learn.
These policies and the way that these policies are enacted
have a cost—in taxpayer dollars, in academic achievement and most importantly,
the cost can be measured in lives. It is
time for the Louisiana legislature, as our representatives, to push hope, not
despair, to push success, not defeat. It
is time for our legislature to push solutions, not suspensions. It is time for our Legislature to open doors
to education, not close them.
The Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana stands in support
of House Bill 777, sponsored by Representative Smith, The Safe and Successful
Students Act. This bill offers resources
to help kids stay in schools and not be pushed out through suspensions,
expulsions or school-arrests. This bill
could put an end to the zero tolerance policies that harm our kids and don’t
make our schools better.
We support HB 407, sponsored by Representatives Carter,
Smith and Katrina Jackson, which will make sure that students who want to be in
school can attend school. It will allow
Louisiana to be aligned with 45 other states that expand public education for
overage students.
We want laws that will work for students, not laws that push
kids into the prison system. SB 652, sponsored
by Senator Guillory will increase police intervention in school discipline and
push kids further and further from schools and opportunities. The face of the State Capitol building reads,
“the instruments which we have just signed will cause no tears to be shed and
prepare ages for happiness.” We oppose
SB652 because it is an instrument which will cause tears for young people and
their families. There will be no happiness with this bill. This bill will not ensure that students get
the support they need but will only increase unnecessary police interactions in
schools.
JJPL stands united with the groups gathered here in support
of HB 777 and HB 407 which keep kids in schools and we oppose SB652 which
pushes kids out. It’s time for our
Legislature to do the right thing for kids and the right thing for Louisiana.
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