I want to tell you about a piece of legislation I am re-introducing that’s close to my heart — the Ending Punitive, Unfair, School-based Harm that is Overt and Unresponsive to Trauma Act, or the Ending PUSHOUT Act.
Across the U.S., Black girls are suspended six times more than white girls in schools. And a new report from the National Women’s Law Center found that they are disproportionately disciplined compared to their white peers for dress code violations and hairstyles.
In 2017, two Black girls in Massachusetts were suspended for their hair extensions. And just last year in Michigan, a 15-year-old girl was incarcerated for not completing her homework when her school moved to remote learning. This is part of a pattern of criminalizing Black girls in schools for minor misbehavior.
Over-policing in our schools doesn’t make children safer — it leads to more suspensions and disruptions to education, increasing the school-to-confinement pathway. The Ending PUSHOUT Act would grant $2.5 billion in collective funding for states and districts that commit to banning unfair disciplinary school policies.
For too many Black and brown girls, interactions with racist dress code policies, hair policies, and with law enforcement in our schools have defined their educational experience and detracted from their learning. We can and must do better.
I am re-introducing the Ending PUSHOUT Act to help transform our schools into spaces that allow for learning and growth for all students.
Thank you,
Ayanna
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