Ames Simmons Director of Transgender Policy Intersectional Justice in Practice: Legislative Response to School Push-Out Ames Simmons Director of Transgender Policy

Framework Three main legislative pushes during 2017-18 NCGA session that have the potential to affect LGBTQ justice-involved youth Framework of pathways to school discipline identified by GLSEN’s 2016 Drop Out/Push Out report Discriminatory school policies & practices Youth with non-apparent disabilities Punitive response to victimization

Discriminatory School Policy LGBTQ youth who experienced discriminatory policies and practices at school experienced higher rates of school discipline Example: LGBTQ students unwillingly required to use bathroom or locker room of their “legal sex” NC School Climate Report: 59% of trans students in NC

HB142 Legislation that repealed HB2, but just differently bad Forbids cities or schools from protecting trans youth in accessing facilities Health impact assessment underway currently to gauge the effects of these laws and their media portrayal on LGBTQ people

Youth with Disabilities Youth with non-apparent disabilities are at greater risk to become enmeshed in school-to-prison pipeline 43% of NC high school students seriously considered suicide past 12 months (2017 YRBS)

HB986 Education bill that requires creation of professional development content standards for: Youth mental health Suicide prevention Substance use Sexual abuse prevention Sex trafficking prevention

HB986: Limitations Implementation is not required, only availability of model policy No specific provisions for marginalized populations of youth such as LGBTQ youth Sex trafficking provisions often end up criminalizing LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness

Punitive Response to Victimization Students with higher levels of victimization are subject to higher rates of school discipline than those with lower levels. LGBQ youth in NC are twice as likely to be bullied on school property and to be electronically bullied during past 12 months (2017 YRBS)

Raise the Age SB257 budget bill Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act Increases the age of juvenile jurisdiction from 16 to 18 except for certain felonies Creation of model policies and procedures to establish school-justice partnerships between law enforcement, boards of education, and schools

Raise the Age School-justice partnerships model “graduated responses” that limit school resource officer involvement System-wide improvements in programming: Restorative justice programming such as restitution, especially programs that offer vocational skill building and job shadowing tracks to help repay restitution balances Diversion programs such as teen courts and mediation Early intervention programs such as SNAP (Stop Now And Plan), cognitive-behavioral program teaching impulse control skills

Raise the Age: Limitations No specific provisions for marginalized populations of youth such as LGBTQ youth Continues presence of police in schools

Questions? ames@equalitync.org 770-713-0513