Jonathan Brown

“Chattanoogans in Action for Love, Equality, and Benevolence (CALEB) is working to combat the school to prison pipeline by addressing the disparities in exclusionary discipline practices such as expulsions and suspensions that disproportionately impact low-income and minority communities. Data from the Tennessee Department of Education and Hamilton County Schools indicates that Black students are four times more likely to receive suspensions than white students. In 2019, HCS was reprimanded by the state's education department for inequitable disciplinary treatment of minority students and those with disabilities. These facts speak to the need for discipline reform in Hamilton County Schools. As an alternative to exclusionary discipline practices, we are promoting the use of restorative practices. By funding several whole-school implementations of restorative practices, we hope to gather data that can be used to show the effectiveness of these reforms and encourage community stakeholders, including district leaders to support and fund a whole-district implementation of restorative practices in Hamilton County Schools.”