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Our Work

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Social Workers at The Table

June 2024

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Strategies to End School Corporal Punishment in the United States

October 2024

Program: October 10, 2024 The National Initiative to End Corporal Punishment hosted virtual conference titled “Strategies to End School Corporal Punishment in the United States” along with 

the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) & The New York Foundling for advocates and organizations across the US. The MS Coalition led a workshop during the conference on 

Working Together on a Federal Corporal Punishment Ban: Advocacy Opportunities for All. In this workshop, you will learn about the current efforts to end corporal punishment at the federal level, including in Congress, agencies, and courts. You will also explore federal advocacy strategies that will allow you to participate in efforts to pass a federal ban on corporal punishment.

Presenters: Morgan Craven, J.D. & Ellen Reddy

 

Program: October 10, 2024

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET

School corporal punishment in the U.S.: Prevalence, attitudes, outcomes, and implications for policy

The United States is one of only two developed countries that still allows corporal punishment in

schools. Corporal punishment remains legal in U.S. public schools in 18 states and in private schools in

46 states. In this presentation, Dr. Gershoff will review the most recent data on prevalence of school

corporal punishment as well as results of a 2024 survey of attitudes about school corporal

punishment. She will also summarize research to date on the child outcomes linked to school corporal

punishment.

Presenter: Elizabeth Gershoff, Ph.D.

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET

Working Together on a Federal Corporal Punishment Ban: Advocacy Opportunities for All

In this workshop, you will learn about the current efforts to end corporal punishment at the federal

level, including in Congress, agencies, and courts. You will also explore federal advocacy strategies

that will allow you to participate in efforts to pass a federal ban on corporal punishment.

Presenters: Morgan Craven, J.D. & Ellen Reddy

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National Week of Action Against School Pushout

October 2024

For this year's Week of Action, Southern organizers within DSC are coming to Houston from Mississippi, Louisiana and North Carolina. In the face of state takeovers of local public institutions, rampant school police abuses, and harsh exclusionary discipline, DSC members will convene to share strategies, engage in local actions, and replenish their energy as we labor toward our long-term goal of quality public schools for all.

We intend to visit local schools in Houston to hear how the state takeover is impacting local community members, and we will extend our solidarity to young people, parents, and educators.

With the looming election, we know that this is an opportune moment to activate and strengthen grassroots political movements. People across the South deeply feel the pain inflicted by gross economic inequality, climate change, and continuing efforts to privatize public resources.

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Social Workers at The Table

June 2024

This is your News article. It’s a great place to highlight the latest coverage your business has received. Write a short summary, include links and add a photo or video for extra engagement!

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Policing Black Hair & Black Bodies Must End

February 21-24, 2024

Members of the Coalition traveled to Texas to support Darryl George in his case against Learn more here

Darryl’s experience highlights the pervasive issue of systemic racism and discrimination within our education system. No student should be denied their right to education or subjected to emotional distress simply because of their hair texture, style, or length. Barbers Hill ISD’s  decision to prioritize “conformity” over individual expression sets a dangerous precedent and perpetuates harmful stereotypes and biases.


We stand in solidarity with Darryl George and his family in their pursuit of justice. We commend their courage in challenging the status quo and fighting against institutionalized discrimination. We call on the court to reconsider its ruling and uphold the principles of equality and justice for all students.

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Why Eliminating Corporal Punishment Is Necessary For Increasing Black Student Achievement

February 20, 2024

Learn from members of the national coalition to end corporal punishment in Mississippi and around the nation. You will learn directly from subject matter experts in the education justice movement. We will be joined Ellen Reedy and Kameisha Smith from Nollie Jenkins Family Center in Mississippi; Dianna Freelon-Foster from Activist with a Purpose, and Hashim Jabar from Racial Justice NOW.

Zakiya Sankara-Jabar, Director of Education Policy for Wayfinder Foundation & Co-Executive Director at Racial Justice NOW will be the moderator for this important discussion.

To learn more about the organizations represented here please visit their websites:

https://racialjusticenow.org/

https://www.wayfinder.foundation/

https://nolliejenkinsfamilycenter.org/

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Educate, Liberate, Elevate!

DSC National Days Of Action

From October 14th-22nd, grassroots organizers, student and parent groups, education advocates and many others  join members of the Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC), for their 14th National Week of Action Against School Pushout as a part of their annual mass education campaign to raise awareness and inspire collective action against the devastating and ongoing impacts of school policing and exclusionary discipline policies and practices. 
This year’s theme, ‘Educate, Liberate, Elevate!’ amplifies the reality that students flourish when they are surrounded  by caring and trusting adults in a school environment where their needs are acknowledged and met with kindness. Inflicting physical harm against students  through corporal punishment is still legal  in 17 states; and the state of  Mississippi leads the nation.

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Education & Culture Conference

July 20-22, 2023

The conference theme was “Cultural Identity Restoration and the Role of Culture in Education”.  The chosen Theme reflects the mission and values of the Coalition in its work to end the harsh discipline practice of Corporal Punishment which is proven to be both physically and psychologically harmful.  It also reflects our aim to uplift a narrative of discipline as a building tool for growth and as a model for creating culturally responsive and nurturing school climates. During this three day conference we are inviting parents, students, educators, organizational leaders’ funders, elected officials, social workers, and other child-serving practitioners to explore effective alternatives to reducing violence in schools and communities by uplifting restorative justice practices, peer mediation, SEL and participatory action research as culturally relevant & responsive teaching tools in the public education.

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International Day Of Action to End Corporal Punishment

April 30, 2023

Annually the MS Coalition to End Corporal Punishment joins organizations across the world who are working to end this horrific practice of corporal punishment. This year we premiered The Coalitions first short film, a collection of lived experiences & voices of parents, students & legislators fighting to end corporal punishment.

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Coalition Meeting With MS Black Caucus Issues Committee

January 2023

The Coalition met with members on the issues committee of the legislative black caucus to urge the caucus to make ending state sanctioned violence a priority issue for 2023 session. Our strategy has been to meet with key stakeholders and organizations who should protect the rights of children, especially black children who are disproportionality impacted by violence in schools. Because of how deeply rooted the use of violence has been and continues to be in our communities, even when we meet with elected officials and civil rights groups it is hard for many leaders to understand the need for change and effective alternatives over internalized generational oppression. Out of our meetings we got representatives and senators to sponsor legislation to end the use of corporal punishment in Mississippi schools. Although the issues committee did agree that corporal punishment should be abolished it failed to recieve the full vote from majority of the caucus. Our work moving forward to hold the caucus accountable for upholding the needs for holistically safe and responsive schools free of violence. Ending the practice of beating students in schools is non-negotiable and must end.

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The Last Lash: A Call to Action to End State Sanctioned Violence

December 6, 2022

Whether it’s in schools, work force or the prison systems, punishment is more readily and harshly given to people of color; especially on the bodies of Black boys and girls.From being used as a tool of domination & control on the plantation to being able to be used as a tool of social control and correction in our schools, from whips, to paddles to policies. We’ve taken the last lash. The fight to end corporal punishment in Mississippi & the other 18 states where it is still legal is a fight for human rights, Childrens rights, dignity, respect & A FIGHT for change.The Last Lash: A Call to Action to End State Sanctioned Violence in Schools.Watch our presentation here.

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"Legacy Of The Lash"Workshop with State NAACP

November 12, 2022

It is illegal to beat dogs in the state of Mississippi but you can beat a child. What does that say about the value that WE have on the lives and bodies of our children and specifically black bodies who are disproportionately impacted and more harshly punished in schools, in the prison system, in the workplace, in society overall. 

Our Panelists & what they uplifted;

Ellen Reddy;  the definition of corporal punishment & historically how the paddle has been used

Dr. James Pratt;  connecting historical lynching & corporal punishment; legacy of violence continues in the south & southern black belt

Morgan Craven;  disproportionately on students with disabilities and real impacts on everyone in the class (children who are hit and others observing).

Breon Wells;  the overall legislative strategy at the Congressional level to end Corporal Punishment and how it ties into the work at the State level   how over policing in communities bleeds into police in schools and the punitive and violent framework with which they view Black and Brown kids in the US, but specifically in the South 

Chris Scott; Accountability and Harmful/Violent/Traumatic Impact of Exclusionary Discipline (ex. Corporal Punishment, Police in Schools and restraint and Seclusion) 

Kameisha;  the need for effective alternatives

The response from our session and panel discussion was overwhelming as the audience agreed. The MS Coalition has been invited to partner with the NAACP to host a full conference! We are still working on the ground in communities across the state to have conversations around harsh school discipline, zero-tolerance policies, police in schools and effective alternatives.

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Coalition Members & Patrners Meet With Congressman Bennie Thompson

November 9, 2022

MS Coalition to End Corporal Punishment and our Federal Partners with FED SDC met with Congressman Thompson. Congressman Thompson has supported our work and signed on to POSSA(Protecting Our Students In Schools Act) and believes that Corporal Punishment should be eliminated.

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 National Women's Convention (TX). Workshop: "Healing & Power Building to End Corporal Punishment" 

August 2022

Nollie Jenkins Family Center will ground participants in the history of corporal punishment. The “Legacy of the Lash” exposes how the violence of enslavement continues to be perpetuated through corporal punishment and exclusionary, racist discipline policies and practices. In order to pose solutions for systemic change, we must first get to the root of what needs to be changed and why it continues to persist. 


This hands-on experiential workshop will be led by organizers who “have been historically silenced or marginalized by systems of oppression.” The workshop will invite participants to “Engage in continual learning” related to understanding how corporal punishment is still on the books in 19 states and invite participants to join with the presenters in “challenging this system of oppression with collective action.”

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Meeting with Senator Gunn, Speaker of the House : Which Side Are You On

August 2022

This is not about left or right, this is about right and immorally wrong. The Coalition is pushing for legislation to be introduced in the next session that eliminates corporal punishment. Our strategy has been to work locally in communities and at the state level with policy makers. Regardless of the pushback that we're met with our efforts to educate and uplift the harms of corporal punishment and how disproportionately it is being used on black and brown children, as well as children with disabilities, will continue.

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Brown Girls Can Dream Podcast: Students Against Corporal Punishment

July 2022

Nollie Jenkins Family Center youth leaders developed a podcast through the organization's Youth Leadership & Development Summer Program that uplifts issues and topics that affect students like them. In this podcast students break down corporal punishment and the "Spare the Rod Spoil the Child" way of thinking. Listen here.

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Moving Mississippi

June 2022

Coalition Member met with Representative Bryan Clark. The importance of meeting with legislators at the state level is to have a strong support when it's time to introduce legislation for the 2023 session. Our asks to Representative Clark were the following:


1. Seek Rep. Clark as co-sponsor to POSSA legislation

2) Need help navigating relationships w/Rep Mickens and other representatives at the state level

3) Facilitate and accompany us to a meeting with Speaker Gunn

4) Facilitate and support the coalition's efforts to meet with the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus 

and

5) sponsoring  legislationto end corporal punishment 

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Dignity in Schools Campaign Biennial Workshop

July 2022

The Dignity in Schools Campaign has supported the work of Nollie Jenkins Family Center and the Mississippi Coalition to End Corporal Punishment by including "ending corporal punishment" as one of the National Demands. The Coalition presented during DSC Annual Meeting on the "Legacy of the Lash", a historical analysis or corporal punishment, violence, lynchings and violence in communities of color. If you are interested in participating in one of of "Legacy of the Lash" presentations to learn more, please contact us.

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Getting POSSA cosponsored

June 2022

Thanks to our Coalition members, regional and national partners for continuing to push legislation to end state sanctioned violence on the bodies our children in schools. POSSA to prohibit schools receiving federal funding from beating, paddling, or using other forms of corporal punishment in schools, and to provide grants to train school teams to support the academic and behavioral needs of students.
We met with Representative Michael Guest staffer to urge him to cosponsor the bill as well as understanding the harmful impacts of corporal punishment, the disproportionality and the need for effective alternatives to school discipline.

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NEPC Talks Education: An Interview On Coporal Punishment

April 2022

The National Education Policy Center produces 30 minute podcasts  of high-quality policy information for educators, community members, policymakers, and anyone interested in education.  The mission of the National Education Policy Center is to produce and disseminate high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. We are guided by the belief that the democratic governance of public education is strengthened when policies are based on sound evidence. Check out MS Coalition to End Corporal Punishment podcast episode featuring Morgan Craven, Ellen Reddy, and Kameisha Smith About Corporal Punishment here .

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43rd Juvenile Justice Symposium

March 23-25, 2022

MS Coalition networked with teachers, mental health counselors, youth court staff and professionals working in juvenile detention centers across the state of Mississippi. In regards to the school to prison pipeline, zero tolerance policies and harsh discipline like corporal punishment only contribute to the school to prison pipeline. Our stance is that students need to be exposed to conflict resolution, peer mediation, restorative justice models, scholars of peace and other alternatives that teach them how to deal with conflict and addresses behavioral issues. Visit our "Alternatives" Page to learn more.

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Developing The Advocacy Toolkit

March 2022

Our Coalition is comprised of small local organizations, individuals and national organizations. We created a tool kit with talking points, historical analysis, research highlighting the disproportionality across the 19 states that still allow it, and effective alternatives. We've used this toolkit for community meetings and meetings with stakeholders including pastors, policy makers and school districts. To view our toolkit, visit the resource page.

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Advocacy Day at Mississippi State Capitol

March 11, 2022

MS Coalition to End Corporal Punishment participated in Advocacy Day at the State Capitol hosted by the MS Coalition to End Domestic Violence.

The purpose of the 2022 MCADV Advocacy Day is to bring awareness to the collaborative work of our organization, our community partners, and MS legislators to provide life saving polices for the citizens of Mississippi.

The Mississippi Coalition was formed in 2020 to advance the efforts by Nollie Jenkins Family Center to eliminate corporal punishment in public schools across Mississippi. Visit our website for more info at https://www.mscoalitiontoendcorporalpunishment.org

Mississippi leads the country in the use of corporal punishment in schools-nearly one-third of all students hit in the U.S. are in Mississippi schools. Teachers & administrators beat students even though families, medical professionals, researchers, and educators agree it is harmful and ineffective

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SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING
Serving All Students: Promoting a Healthier, More Supportive School Environment

February 16, 2022

The upcoming hearing by the House Education and Labor Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee on tomorrow will  consider Restraint & Seclusion and Corporal Punishment.  My colleague & co-facilitator of the Federal Corporal Punishment Working Group, Morgan Craven will give testimony. This hearing is before the House Democrat 

and Republican members.  Watch hearing here.

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MS Coalition Presentation to MS NAACP Education Committee

January 13, 2022

Presentation to Education Committee to make ending corporal punishment in Mississippi one of the goals of the MS NAACP.

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Social Emotional Learning Training with Communities for Just School Fund

January 21, 2022

SEL has become a new terms but in actuality organization like ours have always incorporated social emotional learniing in how organize and interact with community. Furthermore, the topic of SEL among legislators and schools give the Coalition the opportunity to highlight the fact that we can have schools that are socially & emotionally safe while still using corporal punishment in schools.

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NO HIT ZONE Training

January 27, 2022

MS Coalition is planning to implement NO HIT Zones in spaces across communities while partnering with the national NO HIT ZONES organization.

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Reclaiming SEL Webinar

December 1, 2021

Currently, there is a suite of bills at the federal level that would provide historic levels of funding for school districts to invest in social-emotional learning, restorative justice, and hire counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health practitioners. These bills would also remove federal funding from policing and ban corporal punishment. In order to make sure schools are holistically safe, we cannot just add a social-emotional learning curriculum without also changing school climate conditions that police, punish, and criminalize Black and Brown children. We cannot just incentivize social-emotional learning through grant programs without getting rid of police and corporal punishment.
This webinar will bring organizers, policy advocates, school district officials, educators, and other education stakeholders together to discuss the importance of federal engagement in ensuring education justice. The webinar will also highlight the powerful, withstanding grassroots efforts that continue to influence and shape policy and consider what implementation must look like if these bills are passed.

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