United State of Women

Principal

Demands

Our schools are in crisis.
Let’s give Black girls the support they deserve.

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Closing the

book on the

criminalization

of black girls.

Gendered racial bias has been unequally affecting K-12 Black girls and gender expansive youth for decades. And it keeps showing up in new ways during the age of remote learning—like law enforcement referrals over uncompleted school work, and the policing of clothing and hairstyles. It’s time to reimagine how we can protect and support our students now and in the future.

Keep scrolling to contact school officials, download the Principal Demands zine, and find more resources.

closing the book on the criminalization on black girls graphic

closing the book on the criminalization on black girls graphic book

closing the book on the criminalization on black girls book

closing the book on the criminalization on black girls pen

Use this form

to contact

school

officials.

Contact information for school board members, administrators, teachers and staff can be found on most school district websites.

Dear [INSERT NAME],

Our schools are not giving Black girls what they deserve. They’re up to 7x more likely to be suspended in school, 4x more likely to be arrested and 3x more likely to be referred to law enforcement than their white girl peers.

I’m asking for your support today to end the criminalization of Black girls in school. Criminalization happens when there are policies, practices and conditions in schools that make students vulnerable to contact with the juvenile court or criminal legal system.

Gendered racial bias has been unequally affecting K-12 Black girls and gender expansive youth for decades. And it keeps showing up in new ways during the age of remote learning – like appearance policing and law enforcement referrals over uncompleted school work. I’m asking for your immediate support in implementing the following measures for remote and in-person learning:

Remove law enforcement from schools and reinvest in school counselors, school psychologists, nurses, social workers, community health workers and trauma-informed personnel
Eliminate zero tolerance policies
Work with students to review and construct codes of conduct, dress codes and school mandates
Develop extensive alternatives to exclusionary discipline

For more information and resources, please consult USOW.org/principaldemands.
It’s time to reimagine how we can protect and support our students now and in the future.

Sincerely,
[INSERT NAME]

Send email

Our Schools

are in

Crisis

Black girls are up to 7x more likely to be suspended in school, 4x more likely to be arrested and 3x more likely to be referred to law enforcement than their white girl peers.
Black girls deserve better.

Black girls are up to 7x more likely to be suspended in school.
Black girls are up to 7x more likely to be suspended in school.
Black girls are up to 7x more likely to be suspended in school.
Black girls are up to 7x more likely to be suspended in school.

The unnecessary

punishment

of Black girls adds to racial and gender disparities that
make schools less safe and productive for them.

Black girls are 4x more likely to be arrested in school.
Black girls are 4x more likely to be arrested in school.
Black girls are 4x more likely to be arrested in school.
Black girls are 4x more likely to be arrested in school.

It’s past

Time

to put pressure on our school
leadership and school boards
to meet the following demands…

Black girls are 3x more likely to be referred to law enforcement than their white girl peers.
Black girls are 3x more likely to be referred to law enforcement than their white girl peers.
Black girls are 3x more likely to be referred to law enforcement than their white girl peers.
Black girls are 3x more likely to be referred to law enforcement than their white girl peers.

1 Remove

law enforcement from schools and reinvest in counselors, school psychologists, nurses, social workers, community health workers and trauma-informed personnel

Eliminate

zero tolerance policies

2

3 work

with students to review and
construct codes of conduct, dress
codes and school mandates

Develop

extensive alternatives
to exclusionary discipline

4

K-12 Black girls and gender expansive youth—
if you’ve been unfairly punished, arrested or referred to law enforcement in school, reach out to the National Women’s Law Center at: nwlc.org/legal-assistance/

REACH OUT TO NWLC.ORG/LEGAL-ASSISTANCE FOR HELP.
REACH OUT TO NWLC.ORG/LEGAL-ASSISTANCE FOR HELP.
REACH OUT TO NWLC.ORG/LEGAL-ASSISTANCE FOR HELP.
REACH OUT TO NWLC.ORG/LEGAL-ASSISTANCE FOR HELP.

Illustrated by

Jordan Moss

Created with

Dr. Monique Morris
Author of Sing a Rhythm, Dance a Blues and PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools

Joanne N. Smith & Toni Wilson
Girls for Gender Equity

Kalisha Dessources Figures
National Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives

For More resources and support, check out:

Dignity in Schools
Schools4Girls of Color
The National Women’s Law Center
PUSHOUT: Book, Documentary & Resources
GGE National Black Girls Agenda
The National Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives

Download and print the
Principal Demands zine.

Assembly instructions included.

Download PDF

Stay current on events, actions and work being done across the country.

Get Updates

Help us eliminate financial barriers to bring USOW to every community.

Support Us

© 2021 Civic Nation, All Rights Reserved. The United State of Women is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization.

Created by: Unreasonable Studios

United State of Women

Principal

Demands

Our schools are in crisis.
Let’s give Black girls the support they deserve.

Closing the

Book on the

criminalization

of Black Girls.

Use this form

to contact

school

officials.

Contact information for school board members, administrators, teachers and staff can be found on most school district websites.

Remove law enforcement from schools and reinvest in school counselors, school psychologists, nurses, social workers, community health workers and trauma-informed personnel
Eliminate zero tolerance policies
Work with students to review and construct codes of conduct, dress codes and school mandates
Develop extensive alternatives to exclusionary discipline

For more information and resources, please consult USOW.org/principaldemands.
It’s time to reimagine how we can protect and support our students now and in the future.

Sincerely,
[INSERT NAME]

Send email

Our Schools

are in

Crisis

The UNNECESSARY

PUNISHMENT

of Black girls adds to racial and gender disparities that make schools less safe and productive for them.

It’s past

Time

to put pressure on our school
leadership and school boards
to meet the following demands…

1 Remove

law enforcement from schools and reinvest in school counselors, school psychologists, nurses, social workers, community health workers and trauma-informed personnel

Eliminate

zero tolerance policies

2

3 work

with students to review and construct codes of conduct, dress codes and school mandates

Develop

extensive alternatives
to exclusionary discipline

4

K-12 Black girls and gender expansive youth—if you’ve been unfairly punished, arrested or referred to law enforcement in school, reach out to the National Women’s Law Center at: nwlc.org/legal-assistance/

Illustrated by

Jordan Moss

Created with

Dr. Monique Morris
Author of Sing a Rhythm, Dance a Blues and PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools

Joanne N. Smith & Toni Wilson
Girls for Gender Equity

Kalisha Dessources Figures
National Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives

For More resources and support, check out:

Download and print the Principal Demands zine.

Assembly instructions included.

Download PDF

Stay current on events, actions and work being done across the country.

Get Updates

Help us eliminate financial barriers to bring USOW to every community.

Support Us

Principal

Demands

Closing the

book on the

criminalization

of black girls.

Use this form

to contact

school

officials.

Our Schools

are in

Crisis

Black girls are up to 7x more likely to be suspended in school.

Black girls are up to 7x more likely to be suspended in school.

Black girls are 4x more likely to be arrested in school.

Black girls are 4x more likely to be arrested in school.

The unnecessary

punishment

It’s past

Time

Black girls are 3x more likely to be referred to law enforcement than their white girl peers.

Black girls are 3x more likely to be referred to law enforcement than their white girl peers.

1

Remove

Eliminate

2

3

work

Develop

4

REACH OUT TO NWLC.ORG/LEGAL-ASSISTANCE FOR HELP. REACH OUT TO NWLC.ORG/LEGAL-ASSISTANCE FOR HELP.

REACH OUT TO NWLC.ORG/LEGAL-ASSISTANCE FOR HELP. REACH OUT TO NWLC.ORG/LEGAL-ASSISTANCE FOR HELP.

Principal

Demands

Closing the

Book on the

criminalization

of Black Girls.

Use this form

to contact

school

officials.

Our Schools

are in

Crisis

The UNNECESSARY

PUNISHMENT

It’s past

Time

1

Remove

Eliminate

2

3

work

Develop

4