The cellphone video of a white police officer body slamming a peaceful African-American student in South Carolina has provided a visceral spark to the national conversation over school policing.
Earlier this year, Reveal teamed up with The Center for Public Integrity to tell the story of how misbehavior that used to result in a trip to the principal’s office is now leading to arrests, interrogations and criminal charges, even for preteens. One case in particular jumped out: a sixth-grader – diagnosed with autism – who was charged with a crime for kicking a garbage can.
You can hear the story on the Web, or if you listen to us on iTunes, scroll down to the April episodes. It’s titled “From detention to detainment in Virginia.” You can read CPI’s story here.