The school-to-prison pipeline plagues schools in poor black communities. Far too often, students are suspended, expelled or even arrested for minor offenses. Offenses principals use to handle are now being handled by law enforcement and the judicial system. Which means black students with a history of abuse, neglect, poverty or learning disabilities are slowly but surely being pushed into becoming career criminals instead of receiving helping.

The state of Missouri is playing its part in making matters worse. In Missouri they will be charging students involved in school fights with a felonies despite their ages. While Robert W. Coleman Elementary School, located in Baltimore, has implemented meditating to help students cope better and has been helping students self soothe, a state that oversees hundreds of school says, hey let’s just criminalize them even earlier. Students fighting in school will now be arrested by school security officers and charged with a felony which will allow these students to start their adult lives with a felony on their record. This makes finding employment and even a place to live very difficult.

Public schools in poor black communities seem to be doing more harm than help. These schools need to look at other school in poor neighborhoods that are doing well and take a page from their books. These parents must become more involved, the state and public school systems don’t take advantage of people who are involved and putting forth effort to make sure their children have better opportunities