Hi John,

Schools should be places where students are included, and supported. However, in New York, students lose hundreds of thousands of days in the classroom each year because of suspensions. These punishments disproportionately impact Black and Latinx students and those with disabilities. 

Right now, there is a bill in the State Legislature that would help address these disparities. The Judge Judith S. Kaye Solutions Not Suspensions bill requires schools to use proven alternatives to suspension that correct misbehavior and keep kids in the classroom.

But with just over a week left in this legislative session, there's not much time left. Take action now with the toolkit below! 

Quick Facts about the Solutions Not Suspensions Act

Bill Numbers: A4591/S1040 
Bill Sponsors: Senator Robert Jackson and Assembly Member Michaelle Solages 

Key Provisions

• Require school codes of conduct to include restorative approaches to discipline, to proactively foster a school community based on cooperation, communication, trust, and respect
• Limit the use of suspensions for students in pre-Kindergarten through 3rd grade to only the most serious behavior
• Shorten the maximum length of suspensions from 180 to 20 school days
• Require that students who are suspended receive academic instruction, and the opportunity to earn credit, complete assignments, and take exams.
• Prohibits suspensions for minor incidents such as violating a dress code, or “talking back” to a teacher; 
• Strengthens due process protects for students at risk of suspension
• Applies all of these provisions to charter schools as well as public schools

Use the scripts below to call state leaders, and when you're done, please encourage family and friends to make a call too.

Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart Cousins: (518) 455-2415

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie: (518) 455-3791

Click to send an email to the Governor and lawmakers with the greatest influence over the bill's passage through committees.

Click to send an email to the Governor and lawmakers with the greatest influence over the bill's passage through committees.

Click here to Tweet the message below to State Leaders:

Public education is our children’s right. Too many of our most vulnerable students are being pushed out of the classroom. It’s time to pass the #SolutionsNotSuspensions Act! @carlheastie, @andreascousins, it’s time for the @NYSA_Majority and @NYSenDems to help New York’s kids!

Click to Tweet:

Suspensions disproportionately impact students of color, LGBTQ+, and disabled students. @CarlHeastie, @AndreaSCousins, @NYSA_Majority, @NYSenateDems, we need you to pass #SolutionsNotSupsensionsthis session for our kids!

Click to Tweet:

Across NYS, Black students are pushed out at 2-4x the rate of their white peers. @AndreaSCousins, @CarlHeastie, @NYSA_Majority, @NYSenateDems, it's time to end this injustice against students of color. Pass #SolutionsNotSuspensions this session!

Click to Tweet:

Restorative practices instead of punitive punishment. Emotional and academic support instead of pushing vulnerable students out. It’s what every child deserves. @AndreaSCousins, @CarlHeastie, @NYSA_Majority, @NYSenateDems, it's time to pass #SolutionsNotSuspensions.

Click to download and save all the following graphics, or tap and hold an individual image on mobile to save to your phone: 

Once you've taken action, share this email or the toolkit link below with five friends, family members or colleagues and ask them to take action, too.