Why is this Wall Street Executive pushing rhetoric that criminalizes Black and Latino students?

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    Why is this Wall Street Executive pushing rhetoric that criminalizes Black and Latino students?

    Bryan R. Lawrence, a Partner at York Town Ventures a Wall Street investment fund, makes most of his money in coal mining, drilling and fracking also serves as Vice President for Families for Excellent Schools (FES).

    Recently, FES launched a campaign that labels thousands of Black and Latino youth as "violent" and "dangerous," and make dubious claims that young Black and Latino schoolchildren are responsible for an epidemic of violence in New York City public schools. FES is using funding from their hedge fund donors and backers such as Walmart, to run television commercials that are creating a culture of fear and pushing for overly harsh and punitive consequences in schools. FES campaigns have lead to media outlets labeling Black and Latino schoolchildren as "thugs" and "perps" and called for them to be kicked out and pushed into the criminal justice system.

    This must stop! This type of dehumanizing rhetoric gives way to justifying harsh disciplinary practices that lead to the school-to-prison pipeline. If Bryan Lawrence and FES were committed to racial justice they should immediately repudiate the hurtful language their campaign have incited and call for an end to racially unjust school discipline policies. 

    We cannot let a pro-charter advocacy group push harsher disciplinary practices that we know further to school-to-prison. Send an email to Bryan R. Lawrence now.  

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