Nuova politica mira a ridurre i biglietti assenze ingiustificate da scuola a LAUSD

Dopo le lamentele che un get-duro approccio alla disciplina scolastica ha portato al profiling razziale in LAUSD, Dipartimento di Polizia del distretto si concentrano invece su come gli studenti in classe.

La scuola di Los Angeles Police Department ha emanato nuove regole volte a ridurre il numero di assenze ingiustificate biglietti scritti a studenti e concentrando gli sforzi, invece di aiutare questi studenti raggiungere e rimanere a scuola.

La nuova politica del Los Angeles Unified School District, annunciato Giovedi, è l'ultimo passaggio da una campagna per la riforma della disciplina tradizionale della scuola che, sostenitori della nuova politica di dire, risultati in profiling etnico e razziale e disagi per gli studenti e le famiglie. Le vecchie regole erano parte di un get-dura filosofia che comprendeva spazza assenze ingiustificate, $250 biglietti e le apparenze corte obbligatorio che potrebbe comportare il carcere per i genitori. Tali misure, sostenitori ha detto, può diminuire il tempo a scuola e in ultima analisi, aumentare il tasso di abbandono.

Il nuovo approccio è un voltafaccia.

Sotto le linee guida, there will be no ticket task forces or law-enforcement truancy sweeps within the first 90 minutes of school and their use will be limited at other times. Officers also won’t issue tickets on or near school grounds, where school authorities “should be responsible for students,” according to a news release from advocates. The rules also emphasize “the requirement that police must ask students if they have a legitimate excuse before writing them a ticket.”

“This notice … reinforces the [police department’s] commitment to support the superintendent’s goals of attendance and graduation improvement, and reduce the cycle of student ‘push out,'” Chief of Police Steven K. Zipperman said in a statement that accompanied the announcement. “Officers are reminded that they must inquire whether the student has a valid excuse for tardiness or absence.”

He added that, whenever possible, officers should focus on getting a student to school. Nor is truancy, per sé, a justification for “frisks, the use of handcuffs or physical restraints, and searches,” Zipperman wrote.

“With this directive, school police officers will be a stronger partner with principals, studenti, parents and teachers to keep students on track within the educational environment by reducing court appearances,” Zipperman said.

Data compiled by advocates indicates that Latino and black students receive a higher proportion of truancy tickets. Prima, the Los Angeles Police Department modified its truancy policies. Activists also have pushed to reduce the number of student suspensions and expulsions — a goal school district officials have embraced.

Contemporaneamente, teachers and administrators have expressed concerns about the new direction. They worry about losing disciplinary tools that help keep classrooms and campuses under control so that the majority of students don’t have their learning disrupted.

A student who had been ticketed expressed his support for the changes.

“When you’re dealing with real-life issues dragging you down and making you late to school, the last thing you need when you get there is to run into police treating you like a criminal and making you feel like there’s no point to trying anymore,” said Nabil Romero, a recent graduate from Roybal Learning Center in Echo Park.

Organizations involved in the truancy initiative include the Community Rights Campaign, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Public Counsel, CADRE, the Youth Justice Coalition, and the Children’s Defense Fund.

Fonte: LA Times