Here in Dallas, we have a lot to be proud of, and we love our city. But when it comes to our schools, we have a serious problem: the way students of color are treated.
Student of color face ongoing – and rising – challenges in school.
Our Black and Brown students are over-disciplined compared to white students, meaning, they're suspended, expelled, removed to alternative education programs, and even sent to the juvenile justice system at higher rates. That makes it harder for these students to learn and succeed in the long run, and it results in poor school culture and climate.
To make matters worse, the past 3 years have been deeply traumatic for kids of color – not only because of the instability from COVID-19, but because of the impact of images and threats of police violence against people who look like them.
And new Texas legislation requires every school (elementary, middle, and high school) to have an armed security officer while kids are in class, affecting school culture and exposing students of color to more “oversight,” exclusion, and harm.
Now, as kids have returned to classrooms, we must make sure they’re treated fairly and safely. Our students must be able to thrive.
Your investment today will make an immediate impact.
Your donation to the Texas Center for Justice and Equity will go directly to our work to promote students’ wellness and success in North Texas.
Specifically, we have a plan to expand a pilot program that administrators have called “an essential part of the operations” and “a natural benefit to our district.” And with your contribution, we can get started today!
How our program is different – and how it makes a difference for kids.
In 2022, our Dallas County Project Director – Leon Theodore – launched an ambitious internship and pilot program for DeSoto ISD schools to address and prevent in-school and out-of-school suspensions, and to improve school culture.
The program has three phases:
DeSoto practitioners have shared that the program gives them “the ability to service more students and have additional people to help model the [restorative justice] work.” Another said: “It was specialized for the people who are actually taking part in it, and it was also specialized for the context – our district is very unique.” These education professionals emphasized that “being able to have [the interns] visiting campuses and providing feedback to school leaders specifically on school culture, especially coming out of the pandemic, is super important.”
Join other North Texans in demanding supportive schools, productive classrooms, and greater success for each of our kids.
With your investment, we can expand this program to 3 other Dallas-area schools! If we don't act now, we'll see “business as usual” – more kids of color disciplined, more students forced from the classroom, more chances for them to be left behind.
Your donation today will help provide stipends for our graduate school interns and cover other program costs that are tailored towards each school.
Thank you for your generosity!
The Texas Center for Justice and Equity (TCJE) founded the P.E.P. (Perception Equals Potential) Initiative in 2020, seeking to address discipline policies in Dallas-area schools and push for a culture shift that provides opportunities for improved student outcomes.
Today, we are seeking donations to help us formally implement and expand a successful pilot program that we launched in DeSoto schools. Graduate students in social work will: (1) be trained on school discipline issues, (2) develop a restorative-based action plan, and (3) provide tailored, in-school services.
Any contributions made during North Texas Giving Day will help cover graduate student and program expenses, so we can strengthen our impact and ensure that more Dallas-area kids land on a successful path.
Since 2000, TCJE has been fighting for better outcomes for Texas kids and adults through our work at the State Capitol, as well as in Texas’ largest counties, including Dallas. Our mission is to advance solutions and build coalitions to end mass incarceration and foster safer Texas communities.
In 2020, TCJE’s Dallas County Project Director, Leon Theodore, established the P.E.P. (Perception Equals Potential) Initiative, which works with North Texas schools, teachers, parents, students, and the community to develop solutions that keep students of color, but specifically Black students, on a successful track. The P.E.P. Initiative seeks to dismantle the path toward discipline, arrest, and justice system involvement, including through positive, culturally competent behavioral interventions.
We promote systemic change and student wellness in North Texas schools through a mental health and racial equity lens. Our approach aims to improve student success and school climate – keeping traditionally under-served students on a safe, stable path, and empowering them to become more engaged in their classrooms.
Through culturally relevant, restorative-based programming, we work to directly impact students’ mindset, which leads to: positive, appropriate behaviors; proven reductions in exclusionary discipline and learning loss; and improved student engagement and achievement. We also intend to foster restorative-focused learning frameworks among teachers and administrators, allowing for adoption of positive behavioral interventions and improved school culture overall.
By prioritizing these strategies, we can move toward more inclusive and productive classrooms that lead to success and wellbeing for every student.
Over time, we envision a fuller cultural shift in schools that recognizes the historical biases and practices that have limited success for undervalued students and families. In this work, we hold ourselves accountable to these students and families, and we are driven by an imperative to address the legacies of trauma and pain inflicted by harsh discipline policies and the pipeline to the justice system.
Ultimately, this Initiative is about every student feeling—and being—safe and supported in their school.
Organization name
Texas Center for Justice and Equity (TCJE)
Operating Budget
$500,000 - $999,999
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx
BIPOC Leadership
Board Chair
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
4144 Office Parkway #3203