Introduction
The school-to-prison pipeline is a tendency in which children are punished for minor disciplinary infractions by being placed into the criminal justice system. Notably, this system appears to be targeted against students of color. The reason why the school-to-prison pipeline exists is zero-tolerance disciplinary policies within schools that automatically consider the necessity of severe punishment without proper investigation of the circumstances. In this article, the tendency of sending children to prisons is examined from the psychological and sociological point of view with the use of two articles regarding the topic.
Psychological and Sociological Aspects of the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Papers used for the review represent the problem from different perspectives. Even though sociological and psychological aspects of the school-to-prison pipeline are correlated, the articles examine each of the causes in depth. Both papers underline the acuteness of the problem. However, it is important to note that the articles mostly discuss the aspects of the school-to-prison pipeline and the way it affects students, not offering a universal solution to the problem.
Mental Health Problems and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
The first article discloses the psychological issues children that are affected by the school-to-prison pipeline face. Emmons and Belangee (2018) discuss the mental health problems students struggle with, reporting that 5% to 25% of them experience depression, anxiety, and other mood-related emotional disturbances. The authors note that mental illnesses can have a significant impact on learning and success in school since children’s mental health is vital for their cognitive development (Emmons & Belangee, 2018). The researches investigate the effects of undetected and untreated psychological problems, reporting that children with mental health challenges are prone to be suspended or expelled for extreme behaviors (Emmons & Belangee, 2018). It is important to note that children are not responsible for the outcomes of their behavior, but zero-tolerance policies of schools are. The article shows that the potential for being involved into the school-to-prison pipeline is not unpredictable since this system disproportionally affects students of low economic advantages, children with mental health problems or disabilities, and the youth of color (Emmons & Belangee, 2018). Researchers also point out four patterns of behavior that are often mistaken for deviating and lead to punishment: undue attention, struggle for power, retaliation and revenge, and complete inadequacy (Emmons & Belangee, 2018). These types of behavior show that students lack the sense of belonging or acceptance and need professional help, not discouragement; children do not choose to act aggressively or have low learning abilities. Understanding the reasons behind children’s behavior can make schools reconsider their disciplinary policies and prevent students from suffering.
Teachers’ Role in the School-to-Prison Pipeline Elimination
The second article addresses the sociological aspects of the school-to-prison pipeline and the teachers’ role in the process of personality development. It studies how the teacher-student relationship can affect children’s behavior, academic and social outcomes (Coggshall, Osher, & Colombi, 2013). The authors underline the importance of social and emotional behaviors of teachers, considering it one of the key aspects of a good classroom climate. Educators are not only responsible for maintaining good relationships with each student, they also need to pay attention to the way they show their emotions. Teachers’ inability to cope with the emotional demands of the profession can lead to vital errors in students’ upbringing and their ability to communicate and socialize. Children learn from their environment and, especially, from the teachers they see every day. School staff is responsible for creating a physically and emotionally safe environment; adults should make children feel comfortable and protected by listening to them, asking questions, reinforcing appropriate behavior. Educators must recognize students’ social needs and create a proper environment to meet them. Improper teachers’ actions can make children suffer from social and emotional difficulties, which can result in impulsive behavior. The school-to-prison pipeline can be eliminated by the educators’ emotional and social capacities, as well as their competency and willingness to provide the best school experience to children. Proper upbringing and care provided by teachers can result in better social and emotional behavior of the students, which can help reduce the cases of imprisonment even within harsh disciplinary policies of the schools.
Commentary
The articles disclose the psychological and social aspects of the problem. The school-to-prison pipeline is a highly discriminative and destructive tendency that has a strong impact on students’ mental health and life. Unfortunately, mostly economically disadvantaged students of color and children with mental or physical disabilities face this problem. The first article is notable because it shows a detailed investigation of how mental illnesses can be both the reason and the outcome of punishable behavior. It made me realize that, in fact, children with untreated psychological difficulties are predisposed to imprisonment, which is a problem of the unjust system. It is important that Emmons and Belangee are concerned about the topic, are their suggestions on how to improve the situation seem feasible. In fact, even recognizing the impact children’s mental health has on their behavior is a big step for reducing the punitive measures. The second article provides a different perspective on the problem: a teacher’s perspective. It is obvious that the system of the school-to-prison pipeline is wrong, but it was important for me to realize how important the role of teachers is to improve it or make it more severe. Teachers shape students’ personalities and behavior; they are responsible for how well children learn to socialize and communicate, how prepared they are for the adult life. These articles helped me understand what issues can fuel the school-to-pipeline system other than zero-tolerance disciplinary policies of schools, and how important it is to consider these problems to eliminate children’s imprisonment.
References
Coggshall, J. G., Osher, D., & Colombi, G. (2013). Enhancing educators’ capacity to stop the school-to-prison pipeline. Family Court Review, 51(3), 435-444.
Emmons, J. M., & Belangee, S. E. (2018). Understanding the discouraged child within the school system: An Adlerian view of the school-to-prison pipeline. Journal of Individual Psychology, 74(1), 134-153.