The Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education and the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Departments, will mark the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education on May 11, 2021, from 1:30 – 4 pm ET, with a virtual convening: Brown 67 Years Later: Examining Disparities in School Discipline and the Pursuit of Safe and Inclusive Schools. The convening will highlight strategies for addressing racial and other disparities in the administration of school discipline. Panelists will consider the impact of exclusionary school discipline policies and practices, such as suspensions and school-based arrests, on our nation’s students, particularly students of color, students with disabilities and LGBTQI+ students. They will also share diverse strategies for addressing harmful and discriminatory school discipline practices and creating positive school climates.

This convening builds on the commitments expressed in President Biden’s Executive Orders on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government and on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers. As federal, state and local officials continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and reopen schools, the Departments are committed to providing policy guidance and technical assistance to schools to ensure that all students are taught in safe, supportive and welcoming school environments free from discrimination.

The event is open to the public.

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS:

Suzanne B. Goldberg, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Education

Pamela S. Karlan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division (CRT), U.S. Department of Justice

PANEL ONE:

Perspectives on Disparities in School Discipline: Panelists will share their experiences confronting and addressing discriminatory and harmful school disciplinary policies and the impact of these policies on students of color, LGBTQI+ students, and students with disabilities.

• Michaele Turnage Young, Senior Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
• Diane Smith Howard, Managing Attorney for Criminal and Juvenile Justice, National Disability Rights Network
• Ames Simmons, Policy Director, National Center for Transgender Equality/NCTE Action Fund
• Quyen Dinh, Executive Director, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
• Katherine Dunn, Program Director, Opportunity to Learn, Advancement Project
• Student Representatives, Power U - Center for Social Change
• Cesar Junior/11th grade, Miami Edison ITech High School
• Mya, Sophomore/10th, Miami Northwestern Senior High School
• Monique L. Dixon, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, OCR (Moderator)

PANEL TWO:

Disparities in Student Discipline: What the research says about identifying and addressing these disparities: Panelists will discuss their research on the systemic nature of disparities in school discipline. They will provide national data and other information on school climate and safety issues and how federal civil rights laws and community or school-based programs may be used to prevent and address these disparities.

• Dr. Monique W. Morris, CEO, Grantmakers for Girls of Color
• Russell Skiba, Professor Emeritus and Director of the Equity Project, Indiana University
• Olatunde Johnson, Jerome B. Sherman Professor of Law, Columbia Law School
• Carolyn Seugling, Attorney, OCR (Moderator)

PANEL THREE:

Addressing Disparities in Discipline and Promoting Positive School Climate -Lessons from the Field: This panel will feature the school discipline reform efforts of advocates and members of the Denver Public School system. Panelists will also share their work to advance positive school climates through community and school-based programs, such as social emotional learning and trauma informed practices.

• Isaias Vazquez, Associate Director, Padres & Jóvenes Unidos, Denver, CO
• Daniel Kim, IRISE Visiting Scholar, University of Denver
• Dr. Cierra Kaler-Jones, Director of Storytelling, Communities for Just Schools Fund
• Olivia Carter, 2021 National School Counselor of the Year, American School Counselor Association
• Jordan Posamentier, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Committee for Children
• Shaheena Simons, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General, CRT (Moderator)

The information and opinions shared during this convening will be those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Departments.

For more information about OCR, please visit

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

For more information about DOJ-CRT, please visit https://www.justice.gov/crt

For press inquiries, please contact ED’s Press Office at (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov.