NYCLU: New Data Shows Aggressive Discipline of Children Doesn’t Make NYC Schools Safer

NYPD Commissioner William J. Bratton and Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina today announced the release of the NYPD’s second quarter school safety data. According to the School Safety Division, city public schools have experienced a 35 percent decrease in index crime over the last five years. At the same time, aggressive enforcement actions against students are dropping: Compared with 2015, the number of arrests of children has decreased 10 percent and the number of summonses issued to children has dropped 37 percent.

The following statement is attributable to New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman:

“As arrests and summonses against students go down and school safety goes up, we have more real-world evidence that the use of aggressive discipline is simultaneously unnecessary, unhelpful and unfairly targeted at Black and Latino children. The city should focus on reducing racial disparities in schools and invest in resources that schools need, like mental health professionals.”