We are so pleased to share that Education Equity will be the Advocacy Committee’s area of focus for 2018.
Watch this short video from our national partners, The Leadership Conference, to learn more about the issues facing students today:
In December 2017, NCJW Pittsburgh’s Executive Director Cristina Ruggiero testified on behalf of NCJW at the Pittsburgh Public School Board – urging the District to end the practice of suspending 5, 6, and 7 year-old students for minor, non-violent behavior. NCJW was proud to stand with parents, students, and advocates to call for the end of the practice, one that unfairly targets students of color and students with disabilities – and is inconsistent with NCJW’s mission and values. Just two days later, Pittsburgh became the first district in Pennsylvania to prohibit the use of exclusionary discipline for students in kindergarten through second grade for minor non-violent conduct, starting next school year! This represents an important steps in the larger effort to advance education equity for all students in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania.
