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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: June 25, 2018
CONTACT: Amy Dowell | amy@dfer.org
DFER CT Thanks Democrats in the CT State Senate for Upholding Malloy Veto of SB453
Bill Would Have Been A Return to ‘Zero-Tolerance” Policies of the Past and Disproportionately Affected Students of Color and Students with Disabilities
HARTFORD, CT – Democrats for Education Reform CT today released the following statement thanking the General Assembly for maintaining Governor Malloy's veto of Substitute Senate Bill 453: An Act Concerning Classroom Safety and Disruptive Behavior. The Senate Democratic Caucus and the General Assembly Black and Puerto Rican Caucus showed tremendous leadership in not supporting this deeply flawed legislation and putting the rights of students first.
“Connecticut has been a national example of what is possible when significant justice reform takes effect, and this legislation would have been a huge step backwards,” said Amy Dowell, State Director for Democrats for Education Reform CT. “We thank state leaders who upheld the veto of this bill. We must continue to pursue policies that both keep classrooms safe and maintain conditions of fairness for all students, particularly students of color and students with disabilities.”
This bill had significant moral and legal issues, including adding challenges for children seeking to return to the classroom following any level of violation, vague and arbitrary standards for what behaviors would be considered "disruptive," and it is likely that these regulations would run afoul of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
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About DFER CT
DFER CT is the Connecticut chapter of Democrats for Education Reform, a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that work well for America’s students, and to confront those that do not. We are education progressives who will always prioritize students and families, especially low-income students and students of color who should be better served by our country’s public education system. Learn more at www.dfer.org.