2016 National Week of Action Against School Pushout is October 15 to October 23

Racially Just Utah, in partnership with the ACLU of Utah, Salt Lake Peer Court and others, will be participating in the 2016 National Week of Action Against School Pushout, with multiple educational activities and arts-related activism. Through the National Week of Action, we seek to engage the community in conversation around the imbalance between ever-growing investment in juvenile justice and diminishing funding for public education.

The National Week of Action Against School Pushout starts on Saturday, October 15, and runs through Sunday, October 23. This year’s theme for the National Week of Action Against School Pushout is: “Lift Us Up! Don’t Push Us Out.” The Week of Action is coordinated by Dignity in Schools, a nationwide organization committed to ending the School-to-Prison Pipeline.

Our Salt Lake City-based National Week of Action coalition – including Racially Just Utah, Salt Lake Peer Court, the ACLU of Utah, the Disability Law Center, the Social Justice Student Initiative, Planned Parenthood of Utah, PPAU Teen Council and Spy Hop – is calling on the state, school districts and individual schools to:

• Shift funding from school-based policing to counselors and disciplinary alternatives;

• Use positive interventions for school-based discipline, instead of suspensions, expulsions or arrests;

• End racial disparities in discipline;

• Fully implement positive alternatives such as Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) and restorative justice practices; and

• Engage students and parents in decision-making about discipline policies.

To help engage our community in dialogue about these important calls to action, we are promoting involvement in the following events and activities that will take place during the Week of Action:

• School-to-Prison Pipeline Panel Discussion (Oct. 20, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.): This event will be held at the S.J. Quinney College of Law (383 University St.) in Salt Lake City. It is free and open to the public.

• “Lift Us Up! Take Action to End the School-to-Prison Pipeline” Dignity in Schools event (Oct. 20, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.): This event will be streamed live from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will feature legislators, parents, students and musical performances by Jasiri X. It will be free to stream and available at www.dignityinschools.org.

• “Lift Us Up, Don’t Push Us Out SLC” (Oct. 26, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.): This event will be held at the Law and Justice Center (645 S. 200 E.) in Salt Lake City. It is free and open to the public.

Additionally, we are issuing a CALL FOR ART by local youth artists. This artwork – visual, written or spoken word pieces – will be featured at “Lift Us Up, Don’t Push Us Out SLC” on October 26. Artwork must be submitted by October 21, and can be dropped off at Salt Lake Peer Court (645 S. 200 E. SLC, UT 84111). Email Kayley Richards at saltlakepeercourt@gmail.com for more information about art submissions. Artists are encouraged to attend the October 26 event!

For more information about local events related to the National Week of Action Against School Pushout, please visit www.saltlakepeercourt.org/weekofaction