It’s October, and that means it’s officially National Juvenile Justice Month. National Juvenile Justice Awareness Month is an opportunity to recommit to the important work of preventing youth from entering the juvenile and criminal justice systems. That important work is community work, it's work in our schools, and work at the highest levels of leadership, it is policy, and systems change work, it is collective healing work.

It goes without saying every kid, regardless of race, class, gender or faith or status deserves the chance to thrive!

But every year the “school-to-prison pipeline,” a disturbing national trend where children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems, continues to deny too many kids the opportunity to grow, learn, make mistakes, and still reach their full potential.

We can change this and dismantle the school to prison pipeline for good.

This month we are inviting MomsRising members across the country to join us in recommitting to the work of creating a world where all kids, especially those most vulnerable amongst us have what they need to thrive and reach their full potential. This means creating a culture where children, families, and communities can live free of criminalization, and have access to critical support they need and deserve.

Now more than ever we must remember that while National Juvenile Justice month is an important marker for us all to take action in our daily lives, it also signifies the importance of continuing the work of fighting for racial justice now and ongoing until we are all free of the harms and toxicity of white supremacy.

This month we have a wide range of important actions for you to take as you start your weekend from urging congress to pass the counseling not criminalization act addressing practices that push out and exclude kids from the classroom and schools, to ending youth incarceration, and more. You can see the actions and additional ways to engage below.

-- Beatriz, Kristin, Kelsey, Quiana, Diarra, Sue Anne, Jordan, and the rest of the MomsRising / MamásConPoder Team

 

 

 

 

Tell Congress to pass the Ending Push Out Act

Black and Brown girls in schools are facing educational, judicial and societal disparities. At alarming rates, Black girls, and other girls of color, experience discriminatory, disparate, punitive and unfair treatment in schools. Lawmakers can prevent unfair school pushout now by passing the P.U.S.H.O.U.T. Act (H.R. 5325).[7] The bill aims to stop discriminatory punishment practices that criminalize Black and Brown students and pushes them out of school and into the juvenile and criminal justice system effectively fueling the school-to-prison pipeline.

Join us as we call on Congress to Pass the End Pushout Act (H.R. 5325).

 

 

 

 

 

Tell Congress to pass the Counseling Not Criminalization Act

The Counseling Not Criminalization Act is an important step towards shifting resources away from practices that harm and push kids out of school into what helps students thrive, keeps schools safe, and ends the criminalization of kids in schools.

The time is NOW to stand for students and end the regular presence of law enforcement in schools. Sign on!

 

 

 

 

 

Tell Congress and State Governors to END Youth Incarceration NOW!

The United States, on any given day, incarcerates nearly 60,000 youth under age 18 in jails and prisons, incarcerating more young people than any other country.

It’s time to tell Congress and state Governors to stop putting kids in prison and invest in supports, services and opportunities for youth NOW!

 

 

 

 

 

Share your story!

Have you and your loved ones been impacted by policies and practices that fuel the School to Prison Pipeline like suspension, expulsion, and police in schools?

Click here to tell us your story. We’ll pass it on to lawmakers.

 

 

 

 

 

Download our coloring page!

Take a picture and tag us on Social Media with your page!

 

 

 

 

P.S.– To learn how you can engage and take additional actions CLICK HERE!