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Working to ensure equal justice under the law for all who live and work in Virginia
Featured Stories
Take Action Now: Protect Virginia's Youth!
Virginia's system of trying youths as adults is unsafe, unfair, and doesn't work.
Please go to our Take Action Now page to find out what you can do to protect Virginia's youth. Please act now!
Click here to help.
Use of Solitary Confinement in Virginia Scrutinized
A Washington Post article and editorial scrutinize the use of solitary confinement in Virginia. The article and editorial are based, in part, on issues raised by Legal Aid Justice Center staff.
Read the article, here, and the editorial, here.
Legal Aid Groups Seek Replacement Funding
Legal aid organizations across Virginia are banding together to seek increased support for the critical services provided by their organizations. Legal aid has been hit particularly hard by the economic downturn as one of the principle sources of funding, Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA), has plummeted from $4.7M to less then $700,000 over the last two years.
Listen to the NBC29 news story, here.
Click here to make a secure, tax-deductible donation to the Legal Aid Justice Center.
JustChildren Receives Press Coverage for "Educate Every Child" Report
Since its November 17 release, "Educate Every Child" has been the focus of media attention for its examination of the high suspension and expulsion rates in Virginia and the societal toll of removing students from the educational system. The report has reinvigorated the conversation among educators, policy makers, the media, parents, and students about positive models for school discipline.
Read press coverage of "Educate Every Child":
"Overused penalty of Last Resort," Virginian-Pilot, Nov. 30, 2011
"Schools Are Overreacting to Misbehaving Students," Washington Post, Nov. 29, 2011
"Group Criticizes Va. School Disciplinary Tactics," Richmond Times-Dispatch, Nov. 18, 2011
"Report: Suspensions, Expulsions Raise Dropout Risk," Washington Examiner, Nov. 17, 2011
View news stories about "Educate Every Child" here:
"Study Finds Suspension Not Positive for Students," WVIR Charlottesville, Nov. 17, 2011
"Study: Schools Should Change Suspension, Expulsion Policies," WHSV Harrisonburg, Nov. 17, 2011
Educate Every Child
New Report Finds Virginia Schools’ Harsh Discipline Tactics Raise Students’ Risk of Dropping Out
A new report by the JustChildren Program of the Legal Aid Justice Center finds that over 90,500 individual students were suspended or expelled from a Virginia school in 2010-2011, many of them more than once. Most suspensions were for relatively minor misbehavior, such as disorderly conduct, minor insubordination, or misuse of electronics.
The Report, entitled “Educate Every Child,” describes how everyone is adversely affected by school exclusion. The Report finds that poor behavioral climates in schools are associated with low student achievement, high dropout rates, increased contact with the juvenile justice system, and high teacher turnover. Furthermore, the Report documents that these harsh discipline policies do not improve student behavior or make schools safer.
Read the full report.
For more information, please contact Angela Ciolfi at angela@justice4all.org.