Feds: Mississippi county runs 'school-to-prison pipeline'

[CatWoman]

(CNN) -- Officials in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, have operated "a school-to-prison pipeline" that violates the constitutional rights of juveniles by incarcerating them for alleged school disciplinary infractions, some as minor as defiance, the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday.

"Students most affected by this system are African-American children and children with disabilities," the Justice Department said.

The federal agency's civil rights division seeks "meaningful negotiations" in 60 days to end the constitutional violations or else a federal lawsuit would be filed against state, county and local officials in Meridian, according to a Justice Department letter dated Friday to those officials.

The letter also names two Lauderdale County Youth Court judges, Frank Coleman and Veldore Young.

State and local officials couldn't be reached immediately for comment Friday.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/10/us/mississippi-juvenile-justice/index.html

[malaise]

1. Off to the private prisons

Slavery by another name

[ananda]

3. This is the other aspect of the new Jim Crow.

Along with voter suppression.

[malaise]

4. 100% correct

It's the general silence that I find so frightening

[Smilo]

2. Got to keep the corporations happy

even if it means our children will be imprisoned for "defiance".

And it is these same scumbags who scream "Constitution" at every event.

[Ron Obvious]

5. Defiance?!

Defiance?! Dear Me! I'd have probably been on Death Row by now if my school had been like that.

Defiance?

[Buns_of_Fire]

6. "Meaningful negotiations?" Screw that!

Since when does the DOJ "negotiate" constitutional violations? Give 'em 30 days to cease and desist, and then go straight to the federal lawsuit!