Interrupt the School-to-Prison Pipeline Resources
United Women in Faith’s campaign to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline is an expression of our priority commitment to end mass incarceration and the criminalization of communities of color.
We believe that all children and youth are sacred, deeply beloved by God, and deserving of an education that nurtures their God-given gifts and encourages their growth. We decry the systemic racism that treats some children as disposable, funneling them away from educational success and towards the criminal justice system. We recognize as sinful the tendency of our institutions (“powers and principalities”) to show grace to White children/youth while withholding that same grace from Black children/youth and other children/youth of color.
We are called to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. Join us!
Quick Links
Interrupt the School-to-Prison Pipeline (handout)
Police-Free Schools (handout)
Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (English)
Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (Spanish)
Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (Korean)
Do Not Stop Them (article)
Never Give Up: Cynthia and Michelle’s Faithful Fight Against Mass Incarceration (video)
Deaconess Judith Pierre-Okerson on the School-to-Prison Pipeline (video)
Brittany K. Barnett Author Talk: A Knock at Midnight (video)
Speak out Against Corporal Punishment in Schools (virtual action)
Stop School Pushout (virtual action)
Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools (virtual action)
Support Our Work
Make Your Voice Heard in Demanding an End to the School-to-Prison Pipeline!
We are committed to ensuring that all students have access to a vibrant educational experience, protected from pushout. We call for the following changes at the federal, state, and local level:
- 1. Removing school-based police (commonly called School Resource Officers or SROs) and redirecting those funds to developmentally appropriate student supports, such as counselors, transformative/restorative justice practitioners, and more.
- 2. Eliminating racial disparities in school discipline at all levels, from suspensions and expulsions to law enforcement referrals and school-based arrests.
- 3. Ending corporal punishment in schools.
Get Involved in Our Activities
Member Level
- Join us in taking virtual action to support important federal legislation:
- Learn more about the school-to-prison pipeline, and mass incarceration and the criminalization of communities of color. We recommend the following videos and books as a place to begin:
- Do Not Stop Them (article)
- Never Give Up: Cynthia and Michelle’s Faithful Fight Against Mass Incarceration (video)
- Deaconess Judith Pierre-Okerson on the School-to-Prison Pipeline (video)
- Brittany K. Barnett Author Talk: A Knock at Midnight (video)
- Black Girls Breaking Silence on School Pushout – Girls for Gender Equity (video)
- Damekia Morgan on Zero-Tolerance in Louisiana Schools – Dignity in Schools Campaign (video)
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander (book)
- The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth by Kristin Henning (book)
- Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique Morris (book)
- A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice and Freedom by Brittany K. Barnett (book)
- Lift Us Up, Don’t Push Us Out!: Voices From the Front Lines of the Educational Justice Movement edited by Mark Warren and David Goodman (book)
- Burning Down the House: The End of Juvenile Prison by Nell Bernstein (book)
- Follow trusted organizations leading the way nationally:
- Seek out trusted organizations in your own community. Volunteer to serve, organize, and advocate for change.
- Support directly-impacted people and their families.
- Subscribe to the Racial Justice mailing list to receive virtual event invitations and action opportunities by email.
Unit Level
- Join us in taking virtual action to support important federal legislation:
- Seek out trusted organizations in your own community. Show up at their events, support their actions and volunteer with their programs.
- Host a school-to-prison pipeline Bible Study as part of your unit meetings, using our free curriculum:
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (English)
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (Spanish)
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (Korean)
- Watch and discuss a brief video as part of your unit meetings, using one of the resources below:
- Never Give Up: Cynthia and Michelle’s Faithful Fight Against Mass Incarceration (United Women in Faith video)
- Deaconess Judith Pierre-Okerson on the School-to-Prison Pipeline (United Women in Faith video)
- Brittany K. Barnett Author Talk: A Knock at Midnight (United Women in Faith video)
- Black Girls Breaking Silence on School Pushout (Girls for Gender Equity video)
- Damekia Morgan on Zero-Tolerance in Louisiana Schools (Dignity in Schools Campaign video)
- Host a book discussion using one of the resources below:
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
- The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth by Kristin Henning
- Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique Morris
- A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice and Freedom by Brittany K. Barnett
District Level
- Join us in taking virtual action to support important federal legislation:
- Seek out trusted organizations at the state and local level. Show up at their events, support their actions, and volunteer with their programs.
- Invite a speaker from a trusted organization to keynote a district meeting. Provide a generous gift to their organization or honorarium in appreciation for their time.
- Host an in-person or virtual school-to-prison pipeline Bible Study as part of your district meeting or as a way to stay connected virtually between meetings, using our free curriculum:
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (English)
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (Spanish)
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (Korean)
- Watch and discuss a brief video as part of your district meeting, using one of the resources below:
- Never Give Up: Cynthia and Michelle’s Faithful Fight Against Mass Incarceration (United Women in Faith video)
- Deaconess Judith Pierre-Okerson on the School-to-Prison Pipeline (United Women in Faith video)
- Brittany K. Barnett Author Talk: A Knock at Midnight (United Women in Faith video)
- Black Girls Breaking Silence on School Pushout (Girls for Gender Equity video)
- Damekia Morgan on Zero-Tolerance in Louisiana Schools (Dignity in Schools Campaign video)
- Host a virtual book group as a way to stay connected between district meetings. Consider using one of the resources below:
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
- The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth by Kristin Henning
- Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique Morris
- A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice and Freedom by Brittany K. Barnett
Conference Level
- Join us in taking virtual action to support important federal legislation:
- Host Conference social action activities related to ending mass incarceration and interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline.
- Share virtual advocacy action opportunities via your Conference newsletter and encourage every member of your Conference to participate.
- Share educational resources and calls to action during conference meetings.
- Connect with trusted state and regional organizations working to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and end mass incarceration.
- Invite a speaker from a trusted organization to keynote a Conference annual meeting, spiritual growth retreat, or social action day. Provide a generous gift to their organization or honorarium in appreciation for their time.
- Show up at their events, support their actions and volunteer with their programs. Turn out together as a United Women in Faith group.
- Not sure where to begin? Check out the Dignity in Schools Campaign member organizations, the Children’s Defense Fund affiliates, and the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls to see what actions may already be taking place in your state.
- Host an in-person or virtual school-to-prison pipeline Bible Study, using our free curriculum:
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (English)
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (Spanish)
- Bible Study: School-to-Prison-Pipeline (Korean)
- Watch and discuss a brief video as part of your Conference annual meeting agenda. Consider using one of the resources below:
- Never Give Up: Cynthia and Michelle’s Faithful Fight Against Mass Incarceration (United Women in Faith video)
- Deaconess Judith Pierre-Okerson on the School-to-Prison Pipeline (United Women in Faith video)
- Brittany K. Barnett Author Talk: A Knock at Midnight (United Women in Faith video)
- Black Girls Breaking Silence on School Pushout (Girls for Gender Equity video)
- Damekia Morgan on Zero-Tolerance in Louisiana Schools (Dignity in Schools Campaign video)
- Host a virtual book group. Consider using one of the resources below:
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
- The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth by Kristin Henning
- Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique Morris
- A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice and Freedom by Brittany K. Barnett
- Connect with your Conference’s Charter for Racial Justice Committee to learn about other opportunities to support racial justice efforts at the Conference level.
Jurisdiction Level
- Join us in taking virtual action to support important federal legislation:
- Join your Get Together! Jurisdiction gatherings this spring and summer! When you register, consider selecting workshops and programs related to the campaign to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and ending mass incarceration.
- Connect with your Jurisdiction President and the Racial Justice Charter Support team members in your jurisdiction to learn about other opportunities to support racial justice efforts at the Jurisdiction level.
We are called to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
