A film focusing on the increasingly harsh discipline meted out against black girls in schools across the United States is the backdrop for a community discussion. PUSHOUT:THE CRIMINALIZATION OF BLACK GIRLS IN SCHOOLS is a feature length documentary which takes a close look at the educational, judicial and societal disparities facing black girls.
Inspired by the book of the same name by Monique W. Morris, co-founder of the National Black Women's Justice Institute, an organization that works to interrupt school-to-confinement pathways for girls, reduce the barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated women, and increase the capacity of organizations working to reduce sexual assault and domestic violence in African American communities, the documentary confronts the ways in which the misunderstanding of black girlhood has led to excessive punitive discipline which in turn disrupts one of the most important factors in their lives, their education.
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The screening takes place at 6 p.m. Friday, March 13 at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville.
Although the event is free, organizers ask attendees to register at bit.ly/pushoutgwinnett.
Sponsored by the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Morris will give opening remarks and there will be an interactive panel discussion afterward featuring local community activists, administrators from Gwinnett County Public Schools as well as student leaders.
“The goal of the screening is to raise awareness of the disparate disciplinary treatment of African American girls in schools locally and across the country,” said Shay Lawson, Social Action Chair of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
“In Gwinnett County, where our sorority chapter focuses our service, data has shown African-Americans represent only 30% of the student population but make up 47.8% of all suspensions. Via an expert panel and community discussion following the screening of PUSHOUT, we hope to identify collaborative solutions and next steps to formulate equitable codes, inclusive trainings, and appropriate staffing that address student needs rather than criminalizing child behavior,” she said.
Information: Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at socialaction@gwinnettdst.org.
Nationwide black girls in high school are:
- Six times more likely than their white girls to be suspended.
- Three times more likely to receive one or more in-school suspensions than white female students.
- Three times more likely to be restrained than white female students.
- Two times more likely to receive corporal punishment than white female students.
- Four times more likely to be arrested than white females.
- Three times more likely to be referred to law enforcement than white females.
Source: Discipline Data for Girls in US Public Schools, Department of Education office for Civil Rights, 2018
Watch the trailer here.
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