The ACLU of Utah is proud to be celebrating the 2017 Week of Action Against School Pushout, spearheaded by the Dignity in Schools Campaign. The Week of Action Against School Pushout is an awareness-building effort aimed at educating the general public, policy makers and elected officials about the “School-to-Prison Pipeline,” and advocating for the fair, thoughtful treatment of all youth in the school system.

Rather than dealing with misconduct in an education-oriented manner that allows young people to complete their traditional schooling, the School-to-Prison Pipeline relies on the juvenile justice system to control youth behavior in the most ineffective and expensive ways possible. It is the loss of promising young people to the juvenile justice system and other opportunity-limiting environments that the Week of Action Against School Pushout seeks to end.

In recognition of the Week of Action Against School Pushout, we are releasing an updated edition of a report first released in February 2017, entitled “Racial Disparities in Utah’s Juvenile Justice System.” This report was produced in partnership with numerous community stakeholder groups, including: Voices for Utah Children, the YWCA Utah, Racially Just Utah, Ogden Branch NAACP, Journey of Hope, the Disability Law Center, Utah Coalition of La Raza, Utah Educators for Social Justice, Utahns Against Hunger and the SLC Area Anti-Discrimination Task Force

Download the new edition of our racial disparities report, titled "Toward a Better Juvenile Justice System in Utah" here! 

We hope you will review this report, including the new youth narratives, and also share the information with your friends, colleagues and elected officials. In addition to our updated report, there are some other cool events to participate in as part of the Week of Action Against School Pushout! 

GENDER, TRAUMA & THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE
Hosted by Racially Just Utah and the Rape Recovery Center 
Saturday, October 21, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm.  @ Marmalade Branch of the SLC Library

• A facilitated dialogue on gender-based violence, trauma, and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
• More information available at www.raciallyjustutah.org or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gender-trauma-and-the-school-to-prison-pipeline-tickets-38851750632.

ONE NIGHT, TWO TRAININGS: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS IN THE SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY PROCESS / HATE INCIDENCES
Hosted by Racially Just Utah
Thursday, October 26, 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. @ Utah Law and Justice Center

• Back-to-back training for young people and their allies regarding 1) how to deal with hate incidences (includes hate crimes and offenese that do not rise to a crime) and 2) protecting and advocating for your rights in the school disciplinary process.
• More information available at www.raciallyjustutah.org or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/know-your-rights-in-the-school-disciplinary-process-hate-incidences-training-tickets-38851888043.

SPEAK YOUR TRUTH TO POWER: WORKSHOP & OPEN MIC
Hosted by YWCA of Utah and Racially Just Utah
Friday, October 27, TIME TBD @ YWCA of Utah Center for Women and Families

• An artistic celebration of youth voice, power and values. 
• More information available at www.raciallyjustutah.org. 

Sponsors and Partners for the Week of Action Against School Pushout in Utah are: Racially Just Utah, ACLU of Utah, Utah Pride Center-Youth Activity Center, Teen Council-Planned Parenthood, Utah Coalition of La Raza, YWCA of Utah, Disability Law Center, Rape Recovery Center