The School to Prison Pipeline: The Student Safety Act

What does it do?
The Student Safety Act creates accountability and transparency over police behavior in our schools. Specifically, the Student Safety Act…

1. Gives students the right to file complaints against school safety agents (SSAs) with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB).
2. Lets students file complaints against SSAs without parents or guardians being involved. In some special cases parents may need to provide permission to the CCRB to access their child’s education records.
3. Encourages prosecution of SSAs guilty of official misconduct – such as retaliating against a student who files a complaint against them.
4. Makes the NYPD and the DOE report to the City Council about police involvement in incidents in schools and the race, ethnicity, age, gender and special education status of those involved.

 

How can you use it?

1. The Student Safety Act brings accountability to the way our schools are policed. Students can file a complaint against a School Safety Agent for excessive use of force, abuse of authority, discourtesy, or use of offensive language. Students can file the initial complaints without parental consent or involvement. SSAs who retaliate against students for filing
2. The Student Safety Act creates transparency over police activities in our schools. Youth, community and advocacy organizations can use the data that the NYPD and DOE release in campaigns related to school safety and over-policing.

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