Pushing black youth out of school starts with higher truancy, corporal punishment, & suspension rates: more severe punishments unjustly and more frequently applied. This is often how the schools-to-prison pipeline works. In Trayvon Martin's case, he was one of the more visible victims of unwarranted "criminalization" — unlucky enough to be gunned down in a state with "kill at will" laws when he was on suspension from school for a relatively minor infraction. Other than that, this college-bound kid's record was clean…no different, perhaps, than those of 17 year olds in white affluent suburban districts.
On Trayvon Martin: The U.S. School System's Criminalization of Black Youth | Urban Cusp
www.urbancusp.com
The focus on Trayvon Martin's school suspension is particularly revealing not only in Trayvon’s case, but also in the larger fabric of American racism. Black youth are demonized, denied access to a worthwhile educational experience, and funneled from locked down schools to places of incarceration.
