School push out is a problem that is occurring at an alarming rate for young men of color in the inner city. During the early 90’s, when the Bush administration proposed No Child Left Behind, the public school systems adopted not only a rigid testing format in attempt to raise the educational standards of our children, but also harsh punitive practices, such as zero tolerance policies were also introduces. However, rather than encouraging a pathway towards higher education for our students who come from the most vulnerable communities, a pipeline towards school push out was created. This pipeline starts with punitive practices in the class room. With over burdened school districts, overcrowded class rooms, teachers often seek the quickest and often the most punitive consequence to manage the classroom. Often times these consequences rely on detention, suspensions, and expulsions. Today, schools in the inner city look more like detention facilities with the presence of school policy to enforce zero tolerance policies.
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Research shows…show more content… We hope to propose a restorative justice model to help restore students and our community. Our Youth Navigators have gone through the initial phases of the school to prison pipeline, and it was through ongoing reentry supportive services in the community they experienced a pivotal trajectory shift where they are now fulfilling their higher educational aspirations. Now, our navigators hope to influence others. By doing so, they continue to reinforce the positive steps they have made as they create positive caring relationships with young students who are yet to experience push out. Our Navigators then become active social agents to intervene in the school to prison pipeline, by increasing their sense of belonging, community engagement, and leadership