School Discipline Advocacy Services (SDAS), the Temple Law
student group formerly known as Student for Students, will be
honored as a public education champion by the Education Law Center
on December 5, 2012.
SDAS addresses the school-to-prison pipeline crisis by
representing students and parents at school disciplinary
hearings. In addition to direct representation and advice,
they educate parents and students about their rights at community
workshops, and network with other law schools to develop similar
programs in other regions. Their network of student advocates
helps to minimize the disproportionately punitive effects of
"zero-tolerance" discipline policies and promote alternative
resolutions that keep students in school.
Professor Lee Carpenter, who advises SDAS, found the recognition
to be well deserved, remarking: "I'm thrilled that SDAS is being
recognized for their work in establishing a new resource for our
city's most at-risk youth. Temple Law students have put
endless hours into building this program from the ground up, and I
have been incredibly impressed with their dedication to the task -
particularly in light of their numerous other obligations.
The students of SDAS have a combination of commitment to justice
and real-world problem-solving skills that represents the very best
of our law school."