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City School District To Analyze School Police Arrest Data

Black students, especially Black girls, are disproportionately referred to the juvenile justice system by the Pittsburgh Public School district’s own police officers. Superintendent Anthony Hamlet says he plans to change that.

“We’re serious about understanding our data and doing better by our children,” Hamlet said during a school board meeting Wednesday night. “We’re trying to eradicate arrest, citations and out-of-school suspensions and racial disparities that exist in Pittsburgh Public Schools.”

The board approved Hamlet’s proposal Wednesday for an independent evaluation of arrest date to “determine root causes” of the disproportionality.

The board also approved a resolution written by directors Devon Taliaferro and Pam Harbin that will direct administration to create a task force to review how school police interact with students and recommend changes.