Features

California faces a crisis of students not completing high school. In an effort to develop solutions combating the systemic problems of truancy, dropouts, exclusionary discipline, and a large school-to-prison pipeline, Golden Gate University is proud to host California Senator Mark Leno and Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Fiona Ma in a two- part series of discussions with bay area students, parents, and community. The event is sponsored by Dignity In Schools student organization at Golden Gate University, and is supported by a coalition of community organizations, as well as the following student organizations at Golden Gate University: Queer Law Student Association (QLSA), Black Law Students Association (BLSA), La Raza, ACLU, National Lawyers Guild (NLG), Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), and the American Constitution Society (ACS). Assemblywoman Ma will be speaking on Friday, April 8th from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, and Senator Leno will be speaking on Saturday, April 16th, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon. 

The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that 37% of African American students are not finishing high school in the state and 22 % of all California students are unable to complete school. A large portion of students who do not finish high school end up incarcerated. According to the Harvard Civil Rights Project, 60% of African American males who do not finish high school will end up in prison by the time they are in their thirties. The California Dropout Research Project found that a 50 percent reduction in dropouts statewide could save $12 billion and prevent nearly 15,000 criminal acts. 

This event is an exciting opportunity for the Bay Area community to speak out together on this critical issue and all high school students, parents, and community members are invited to meet with Senator Leno and Assemblywoman Ma to help develop strategies addressing educational deficits and truancy. Students and community organizations have worked actively to prepare legislative proposals to present to Senator Leno and Assemblywoman Ma, which will be responded to at the forum. 

Dignity In Schools at Golden Gate University School of Law is a student organization which shares the national Dignity In Schools’ (www.dignityinschools.org) mission of pursuing four fundamental human rights: the Right to Education, Right to Participation, Right to Dignity, and Freedom from Discrimination.