PEP Dallas

I'm so very proud of the Education Advocacy Services internship, my partners and what we accomplished this (our first) year!!! Educational Advocacy Services is an extension of the 'Perception Equals Potential' (PEP) project. The mission of PEP is to end the school to prison pipeline and the use of exclusionary discipline policies and practices. We do this by empowering students, parents and the communities they inhabit. 'EAS' was created to address an issue exposed by research and outreach.

During the pandemic, Black student wellness was brought into focus. The education system was finally forced to acknowledge the trauma, fall-out and the negative effects systemic racism, poverty and inequity has on specifically Black students, families and communities. Research has long shown the disproportionate affects Zero-tolerance policies and practices had on the Black student population. Equally, research has long proven the ineffectiveness of 'exclusionary discipline', yet, districts as a whole, nationwide, refused to change tactics. Implicit bias, a lack of cultural competence and racism in teachers, admin and mental health professionals consistently removed Black students disproportionally from classrooms, into SPED tracts and the justice system. As a social worker focused on educational justice and equity, my solution was to create EAS. Exposing Social Work interns that are interested in education, to true cultural competence, restorative practices and entrepreneurship within education justice.
We are looking for new interns, districts and universities to partner with.
Interested...please reach out.
Vid credit: Gabrielle Beasley

P.E.P. Talk - Changing Culture: Restorative Justice in Action

For our May 26 P.E.P. Talk, Leon sat down with guest Dr. Nikki Chamblee to address the topic of Changing Culture: Restorative Justice in Action.

P.E.P. Talks are frank conversations about the state of education, brought to you by the Perception Equals Potential (P.E.P.) Initiative, a campaign of the Texas Center for Justice and Equity.

For our March 24 P.E.P. Talk, Leon sat down with guest Mia Street to address the topic, How Are the Children? Watch this week's "frank conversation on the state of education" here!