Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct was the most common school-related referral during FY 2005-06 (5,223 or 26% of total).

ARRESTING DEVELOPMENT: Addressing the School Discipline Crisis in Florida
Florida State Conference NAACP, Advancement Project, and the
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF). April 20, 2006

EDUCATION ON LOCKDOWN: The Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track, Advancement Project. March 2005.

Christopher Sholly's Diary. A first hand account of a ride down the track. 2002-2005

Cathy Corry's presentation to the Pinellas County School Board, October 24, 2006

Schembri's letter to Justice4Kids.org, June 1, 2006.
"It is the Department's goal to continue working with local school boards...in finding alternatives to placing kids in the juvenile justice system..."

In the News

07/07/09 Zero tolerance for old policy

11/03/08 Undo zero-tolerance policy in schools

10/08/08 Complaint filed against PBC Schools

02/02/08 More principal, less police

01/20/08 When students are suspects, lines blur

01/12/07 Boy, 7, arrested after throwing backpack

07/14/06 School Officials Promote Fast Track to Incarceration

06/13/06 Police want to stay in schools

06/01/06 Letter from Schembri to Justice4Kids.org
"It is the Department's goal to continue working with local school boards...in finding alternatives to placing kids in the juvenile justice system..."
Click here to read the full text.

05/26/06 Safe-Place Blog
School Board meeting of 05/23/06

03/19/06 Miami Herald
"... the 11th Circuit Juvenile Justice Board have lobbied school leaders for alternatives to arresting students. In November, the Miami-Dade School Board approved a civil citation initiative, which officials believe will curb a majority of the arrests.

'By law we can make the arrest, but by conscience do you have to arrest?'' asked schools Police Chief Gerald Darling, who is leading the citation initiative."
Click here to read more of the article.

Cry of innocence gets school girl arrested

13 year-old Ashley Marie Mitchell proclaimed her innocence to a cop on a Pinellas County school bus. She was promptly handcuffed. Overzealous cops create sensational news stories. In May, when a Pinellas kindergartener was handcuffed,  Pinellas County School Superintendent Wilcox said, "We've criminalized what use to be common school behaviour. We need to stop that."

Also read

Read Christopher Sholly's Diary. This is a first hand account of a ride down the track.

From the St. Petersburg Times...
05/18/06 How bad are kids? Just ask teachers
11/30/05 Handcuffs on 13-year-old 'excessive,' parents say
12/01/05 Girl, 13 unlikely to be charged
12/03/05 Wilcox sees fault on both sides in handcuffing
12/05/05 Bus drivers should not let officers board
12/19/05 Stop criminalizing misbehaviors
12/24/05 Children need discipline

_____________________

01/28/06 I will like to speak up on the issue...

Pinellas County Schools

"We've criminalized what use to be common school behavior. We need to stop that."  ~Clayton Wilcox.
"Jackson faults elementary care", St. Petersburg Times, 5/11/05

Clayton Wilcox, Pinellas County School Superintendent invites us to visit his website and send him our thoughts. Let's take him up on his offer!

Click here to visit his website

Click here to visit the Classroom hosted by the St. Petersburg Times.