Student Activities
Weeks 1 – 4: Students will investigate what occurred in California that led to such high numbers of incarceration for youth of color. They will analyze primary and secondary sources that discusses (1) the political, societal, and media bias against children of color focusing on the “superpredator” myth (Clinton speech), gang databases, heavy policing in high needs neighborhood, (2) state laws passed in the 80s and 90s such as drug free zones, zero-tolerance policies that have led to the school to prison nexus, Proposition 184 “three strikes law,” and the “Gang Violence and Juvenile Prevention Act,” (3) and the attack on education through the slashing of funding in education, ban on affirmative action, and the end of bilingual education in contrast with the boom in construction of juvenile detention facilities. These sources will be done through jigsaw in groups. For the assessment, students will then create an annotated timeline of the national and state laws that have targeted youth of color.
Weeks 5-8: Students will learn ways that the youth and schools help in disrupting and dismantling this broken criminal justice system. Students will look at how successful young people have been in involving themselves in current social issues. Then, they will dissect the success of different youth-led campaigns or programs: Anti Super Jail Campaign in California and Serving our Youth and Community. They will analyze the identified needs of the school and the community. They will also read about Project Youth Court and Peer Mediation. They will also research other programs that can be implemented in our school. They will follow through with the YPAR process. Students will come up with proposals for the school and the community that will help decrease the school to prison pipeline in the East Side. They will be graded in groups on the following sections: the need for the program, evidence, rationale, the proposal of the program, the target allies (community organizations), the plan of action, and long-term steps to ensure that the project is sustainable. Students will present their proposals to our administration and to our District Attorney who have been supportive of the efforts of those involved in Ethnic Studies.
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