Panel to discuss school-to-prison pipeline in Erie

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release For information, contact: Al Richardson
Jan. 2, 2018  923-1155, asrjr@aol.com

Panel to discuss school-to-prison pipeline in Erie

There is growing attention to three distressing facts: Pennsylvania’s prison population increased more than 500 percent during recent decades; a criminal record is encumbering for the rest of the lawbreaker’s life, in jail and afterwards; and criminal justice policies driven by fear, anger or bias are draconian and, as the Erie Times-News recently advocated, need reform.

As part of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week events in Erie, a free public forum called “How To Avoid the School-to-Prison Pipeline” will be held on Tuesday, January 15 at 7 pm in the auditorium of East Middle School, 1001 Atkins Street, Erie PA.

A panel of criminal justice, social service and school district officials will provide information on available programs that can help youth keep off a path to incarceration; solutions and diversions will be explored.

Gannon University Criminal Justice Program, Erie City School District, Erie Education Association, and NAACP Erie Branch are co-sponsors of this public forum. Other co-sponsors include United Way of Erie County, Keystone Progress, Erie County United, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie, and ACLU of Pennsylvania, Northwest Chapter.

The speakers include Erie Public School Assistant Superintendent Dr. Bea Habursky, District School Resource Officer Ray Rood, Magisterial District Judge Sue Mack, Juvenile Probation Officer Supervisor John Fox, OCY Intake Administrator Tyler Titus, and Erie Police Chief Dan Spizarny.

Forum moderator will be Ken Nickson, Jr., Erie Public Schools Coordinator of Educational Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. There will be ample time for questions and brief comments from the audience.

According to Al Richardson, representing co-sponsor UU Congregation of Erie, “In Pennsylvania, just about six out of every 10 incarcerated people are non-white, and far too many are young males. Even after serving time, your life is hindered by having a criminal record. The broad goals of this forum are to shed light on the problems, learn about available interventions, and seek alternative solutions that could reduce the number of youth with criminal records. As a Unitarian Universalist committed to the inherent worth and dignity of every person, I protest misguided criminal justice policies that squander both human potential and tax dollars.”

According to Art Leopold, representing co-sponsor Keystone Progress, “We are encouraging parents, teachers, school counselors and administrators, community and faith leaders, elected officials, and law enforcement professionals to attend this forum. It’s an opportunity for them to learn about the school-to-prison pipeline’s impact on too many youth in Erie public schools.”