M-DCPS school board unanimously approves board item H-11, review of student arrest….

At the School Board Meeting of July 24, 2019, the School Board unanimously approved and co-sponsored School Board Agenda Item H-11, Review of Student Arrest Data, proffered by District 1 School Board Member Dr. Steve Gallon III. In addition, members of the community including, Mr. Rick Beasley, Chair of the Florida Department of Justice Circuit Advisory Board (FDJCAB) for Circuit 11, echoed the sentiments of Dr. Gallon and the Board as they stood to speak in support of the item.

“This issue of student arrests is one that perplexes school districts across the nation. The unfortunate criminalization of school related disciplinary issues needs to end.

It is incumbent that we not only talk about data, but lean strongly into real, frank and open discussions about race and racism and the implicit biases that lead to these disparities among black student arrests as compared to their white counterparts and other groups within our system, in our collective efforts to find meaningful, sustainable and genuine solutions,” said District 1 School Board Member Dr. Steve Gallon III.

The item directed the Superintendent to review summative annual student arrest data; establish a formative process for ongoing monitoring of student arrests; explore the need and feasibility of implicit bias and related training for police officers and personnel working in schools, where appropriate; provide and review student arrest data to the Diversity Equity and Equity Advisory Committee, pursuant to School Board Policy 9142; and to initiate rulemaking procedures requiring student arrest data to be reported to the School Board on an annual basis.