“Missouri students of color with disabilities face harsher school disciplinary practices than their white peers, which can lead them into the juvenile justice system. Disrupting this path is the goal of the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association’s SToPP Project, with a $275,000 grant from the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council.”

Miranda Fredrick, communications coordinator for the council explained, “When students experience harsh, disproportionate discipline happening in the school systems, it puts them on a path to interact with the criminal justice system. That’s what’s known as that ‘school-to-prison-pipeline,’ and those suspensions can have long-term effects.”

Click here to read full article with more about the disparities in Missouri schools and youth incarceration facilities.