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The Exclusionary School Discipline working group works to address the front end of the school-to-prison pipeline, to root out both the direct and indirect connections between school disciplinary policies and the criminal legals system. Our primary focus is the elimination of policies and practices that are racially disproportionate and target, criminalize, and exclude Black and Brown students, youth, and children from positive educational outcomes. These policies and practices can include, but are not limited to  suspensions, expulsions, arrests, ticketing and interactions with law enforcement.

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The actions and advocacy surrounding FedSDC's work within this working group is a start to a suistained effort to advance educational equity. Our intent is to promote lobbying and advocacy campaigns with a coordinated federal advocacy strategy, strategic litigation lens, and a collaborative communications approach. We also seek to amplify the work of FedSDC's partners and advocates, local groups, and communities around the country. As we continue to evolve and refine our strategies with our coalition partners, and become more aligned with local community led membership organizations and their networks on the ground, this working groups day-to-day efforts towards advancing educational equity will remain a top priorty. These efforts include - 

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• Ensuring that the Department of Education (ED), through the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), fulfills its duty to protect all students from discrimination, regardless of their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, English language proficiency, immigration status, national origin, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

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• Supporting continuous data collection and information sharing as well as protecting the statutory viability of the Civil Rights Data Collection. 

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• Supporting the implementation of evidence-based and equitable alternatives to exclusionary discipline, zero tolerance policies, and law enforcement referrals.

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• Promoting school mental health resources by increasing the funding for counselors, school psychologists, school nurses and school social workers who are trained in racial justice and equity. 

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• Preventing federal funding streams are used to support police in schools from the Department of Education, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, or Department of Transportation, and divest from school hardening initiatives.

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• Eliminating the transfer of military surplus to schools, school districts orLocal Education Agencies.

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• Lobbying to rescind executive orders preventing diversity training or limiting young people’s civil rights, and support increased training of educators in racial justice and equity.

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• Prohibiting information-sharing, enforcement, and collaboration between immigration officials and school officials for exclusionary immigration practices and tactics.

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• Promotion of culturally relevant pedagogy and curriculum.