Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education, will participate in a panel discussion on school discipline disparities and the school-to-prison pipeline at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference today, April 11, in Washington, D.C.
Lhamon heads the Office for Civil Rights whose mission is to ensure equal access to education and promote educational excellence throughout America through vigorous enforcement of civil rights.
The Obama Administration has moved to support discipline practices that foster safe and productive learning environments in every classroom. In 2014, the Education and Justice departments released a school discipline guidance package to assist states, districts and schools in developing practices and strategies to enhance school climate and ensure those policies and practices comply with federal law. In 2011, the Education and Justice departments announced the Supportive School Discipline Initiative, a collaborative project to address the school-to-prison pipeline and the disciplinary policies and practices that can push students out of school and into the justice system.