Calls to defund the police are echoing across the country, but where should the money go?
Many of the young people shuffled through Virginia’s juvenile justice system face a number of barriers that range from food insecurity to economic instability. That’s according to Valerie Slater, who leads RISE for Youth.
"So these young people, they get to school and now they’re on high alert, high stress," she says. "And now they’re being asked to just calm on down, sit on down and engage in this learning process that itself is under-resourced."
Too often children are disciplined for childlike behavior, and that can result in a lifetime of struggle, she says.
Slater has advocated for an increase in the number of school support staff who can help students cope with trauma and succeed long after they’ve left the classroom. That includes nurses, counselors and social workers.
But it also means funding development opportunities so employees like maintenance or cafeteria workers who want to become teachers have the means to do so, she explains.
"Let’s make Virginia the place that kind of pioneers such an innovative way of making sure that those who have demonstrated a genuine care and support for our young people, that they have a way to continue to give them that support," she says.
Bringing on more helpers isn’t just a boost in the number of friendly faces, Slater says, it’s an investment in the future.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
