The growing practice of sending students to court rather than suspending them from class is increasing their chances of academic failure and justice-system involvement, a new report concludes.
The study by Texas Appleseed, an Austin, Texas-based advocacy group, contends that the growing presence of police officers in Texas schools has led to more ticketing charges and arrests for low-level, nonviolent behaviors that have been historically handled by school administrators.
Many schools are not reviewing ticketing and arrest practices, and many school officers lack training in child development and working in school environments, the report found. It also noted that children as young as 6 have been ticketed. The growing trend has legal and financial implications, it says, that disproportionately affect African-American and Latino students.
