A pipeline runs in a single direction, and once entered into the mouth, destiny sweeps everything before it to the bottom; a pipeline offers no exits, no deviations or departures, no way out—unless it fractures. From Education to Incarceration is not focused on prison reform or tinkering with the mechanisms of the pipeline to make it “fairer” or more efficient; it’s aimed, rather, at ripping open the pipeline, upending the assumptions that got us where we are, and then throwing every section of pipe and all the braces and supports into the dustbin of history. – See more at: http://criticalmassprogress.com/2014/04/30/ci-words-and-action-against-youth-incarceration/#sthash.XFpZrKPT.dpuf
–Excerpt from the Forward of Education to Incarceration: Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline (Forward by William Ayers)
Youth advocacy organizations all around the country have created events for the upcoming National Week of Action Against Youth Incarceration. It will be the week of May 19th. As a result of ongoing weekly meetings, brainstorming, pure passion & coordination between grassroots groups across the nation– potlucks, film screenings, numerous marches and more are scheduled to happen all of next week.
In Arizona, mothers will be marching against solitary confinement. In Los Angeles, there is a youth concert and rally. In San Diego, there will be numerous film screenings. There will be a teach-in and more in Buffalo. This Facebook page is where you can find a comprehensive overview of all the events springing up around the country for the Nat’l Week of Action Against Youth Incarceration.
Chicago, in particular, will be holding a meaningful kick-off to the week with a march to the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. It will start at Paderewski Elementary School (a school that was shut down by CPS last year). Young people are at the forefront of this symbolic action and will be sharing poetry and giving speeches. Participants are encouraged to bring padlocks for this symbolic collective action. For updates on Chicago’s National Week of Action Against Incarceration, refer to this Facebook page.
On the significance of this particularly symbolic kick-off to the week:
“Marching from a closed school to the youth detention facility symbolizes our commitment to advocate for better use of public funds; namely more funding for schools and extracurricular activities, jobs and vocational skills development, behavioral and mental health services, community-based alternatives to incarceration, and other restorative justice measures.”
Please come out and join the community in facing systemic oppression and violence against our youth, with our youth–and with their lead!
