The schooltoprison pipeline starts in preschool.

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Video by: Dara Lind, Liz Scheltens, Gina Barton

Read more about the schooltoprison pipeline and police in schools:
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Thousands of law enforcement officers are stationed in American schools — and they're a key part of the "schooltoprison pipeline," which places students into the criminal justice system for matters of school discipline.

It started in the 90s, when schools began responding to rising crime rates with zerotolerance policies. There were originally put in place to stop weapons and drugs from entering schools and to prevent tragedies like Columbine—these policies extended beyond to include smaller infractions such as uniform violations, talking back, insubordination, etc.

Schools in Oakland, California are exploring new ways to break the schooltoprison pipeline. These schools practice restorative justice where both parties talk out their issues instead of administrators suspending or expelling students.

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