On May 14, 2013, CADRE parents and staff celebrated another milestone in our long-term goal of ending school pushout. Working as strategic partners to the Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition, and building on the years of tireless organizing and advocacy by all of our allies in the Dignity in Schools Campaign LA Chapter – Community Rights Campaign, Youth Justice Coalition, Public Counsel Law Center, Children’s Defense Fund California, and ACLU of Southern California – the LAUSD Board of Education adopted the 2013 School Discipline and School Climate Bill of Rights, which ends suspensions for “willful defiance” in LAUSD, ramps up implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS), makes discipline data more available and useful, clarifies the role of school police, and introduces the implementation of restorative justice to all schools.
CADRE applauds the many unsung heroes in ushering this milestone, many who speak truth to power every day in order for the truth to rise to the level of new policy — current students, pushed out students, parents, caregivers, advocates, and of course, organizers. Los Angeles drew national attention for this decision, and we have our work cut out for us to make this groundbreaking policy a reality in the far reaches of LAUSD.
Please read here for the policy’s details: LAUSD-Board-Item-on-Suspension-School-Climate-Policy