Discussion

Ultimately, UrbEd’s work to rethink school disciplinary policies and school safety relates to both abolitionist and reality pedagogy. While UrbEd has multiple campaigns to fight for equitable and quality education for all students, they have a large campaign to abolish school practices that makes school safe and disproportionately harm students of color. Philadelphia faces one of the highest rates of suspension of Black and Brown students. An over-policing of students leads to a school to prison pipeline and burdens BIPOC students in schools, which impacts the educational opportunities that BIPOC students have.  By targeting school security measures, redistributing the school resource office budget, transparency of school boards, and wider staff training, schools can move toward a safer and more equitable place. As UrbEd and other organizations reach success in these fundamental areas, Philadelphia schools can begin to serve all students. As schools are moved remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school boards and community organizing can focus on placing everlasting change in the disciplinary and police policies within school as they go towards reopening. Particularly with a reduction of in-person classes and schooling, school officers will not be in place and there can be an impact seen on how discipline and arrests differ in an environment without these officers. There is not lost hope of school reform, particularly in reimagining school safety, and this must continue to be a priority as we transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic.