School pushout
Students of color are sometimes disciplined more harshly for misbehavior in schools, leading to their being pushed into the juvenile justice system, which can result in serious crime and adult incarceration. (Photo by RODNAE Productions: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-in-orange-shirt-with-tattooed-arms-6069351/)
NEW YORK – United Women in Faith plans a Bible study series on the school-to-prison-pipeline – the concern that children of color are targeted by authorities for harsher discipline in school that sends them into the juvenile justice system and may result in their being incarcerated as adults. Sessions will be held Jan. 18, Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 from 7 to 8 p.m. ET.
More than 450 of the organization’s members and friends have registered for the session with the hope of learning how they or their churches can act to end school pushout. The sessions will incorporate biblical teachings, small groups discussions, personal reflection, and action. Organizers are inviting reporters who cover education to attend the sessions to get a sense of faith organizing on the issue. Learn more and register here.
“These sessions will inspire women of faith to see familiar biblical stories in a new light, especially where children and children of color are concerned,” said Emily Jones, executive for racial justice for United Women in Faith.
The study focuses on:
- Claiming Justice – Biblical Women & the Voices of Young Girls from Pushout (Numbers 27:1-8 & Luke 18:1-8), Jan. 18
- “Powers & Principalities” – Understanding Racism and Systems of Evil and Oppression (Ephesians 6:10-17), Jan. 25
- Workshop on Adapting the School-to-Prison Pipeline Bible Study for Your United Women in Faith unit – Feb. 1
The first two sessions will be in a standard webinar format. Session three is a specially designed workshop on adapting the Bible study for members’ context. This study was initially created by a staff and intern team at United Women in Faith and has been adapted for a virtual setting by Pastor Janelle Gayle who is based in New York.
“The church is where we are empowered to go and be the hands and feet of Christ in the world,” Rev. Gayle said. “My grounding scripture is Micah 6:8 'The Lord God has told us what is right and what he demands: See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.' This is what we are seeking to accomplish with this study and our broader work to end school pushout.”