The Prison Path: School Practices that Hurt Our Youth takes a unique and unapologetic look into the practices, social norms, construction, and policies within our schools that mirror prisons. From the physical building to the labeling and placement of special education students, schools are reflecting correctional institutions. Beyond the mundane and into the world of social cliques, discipline policies, uniforms, and ethics, this book highlights how similarities between schools and prisons create a hidden and dangerous environment for at-risk students. While many schools and teachers are doing the best they can while facing budget shortfalls, it is the inherent policies, procedures, and normalities that are thought of as being part of the school experience, that may be the most hazardous for at-risk students. Therefore, this book highlights these occurrences and juxtaposes them with similar situations within prisons, providing an eye-opening and daunting look at prisons and schools. This book will cause teachers and those within education to question the practices, policies, and norms that we consider part of the typical school experience. Some additional key features of this book include:
- Chapter by chapter examination of the similarities in prisons and school
- Detailed look at the process of special education labeling and its detrimental impact on students
- Examination of the role of social cliques and gangs in institutions
- A unique look at the school-to-prison pipeline
- In-depth questions to ask oneself about to improve schools
- Dangers of inviting school resources officers into schools and cutting guidance services
- Real-life scenarios
