International- School advocates are optimistic after seeing a Black-father led violence intervention program.
- The program,
Dads on Duty , can bridge trust between students of color and white school counselors.
It's been a long year and half for Derek Francis. Wading through conversations about race and masks in schools has been taxing on him physically and mentally.
Francis is a Black,
In the last year, he has watched students - many of whom are of color - anguish over heightened levels of anxiety and depression.
COVID-19, the murder of George Floyd, and all of the conversations surrounding school curriculum has been exhausting he told Insider.
When he, along with many other school mental-health advocates, saw a Black-father led violence intervention program at a high school in Shreveport, Louisiana, he said he felt serene and optimistic.
"That [program] really resonates with me as a father too," Francis told Insider. " So many students want that connection. And having someone to build that relationship with I think that is another big piece about being a good school counselor and supporting students."
Many of Francis' peers, and education experts, say Dads on Duty can disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, a system that disproportionately funnels Black and brown students from the classroom into jails and prisons.
Dads on Duty would help school counselors, advocate says
"Dads on Duty" was born out of a group of 40 Black fathers coming together after 23 students in three days were arrested at Southwood High School for fighting.
In a school that is 79% Black, the parents told CBS news that they take shifts spending time at the school - greeting students and helping to maintain a positive environment throughout the school day to fend off any disturbances or fights. The fathers want every student to feel heard and protected.
The fathers highlighted that most of the students at the high school do not have a male or father figure in their lives. So their aim is to provide that, even if for a few hours a day.
Francis agreed with sentiment, noting many of the students he works with long for a consistent male presence in their lives.
"A program like this would be the most beautiful alignment you've ever imagined," Francis said.
Only a third of school counselors in Minneapolis public schools are people of color.
Since school counselors in the country are predominately white, Francis says, Dads on Duty can transform the effectiveness and trust students of color have of white counselors.
He says much of their work as counselors is to first address things on an academic front. Students need to be in class. From there, counselors help with behavioral training or college prep.
All of those areas can be addressed by a parent of Dads on Duty, Francis said, taking some of the load off of counselors.
Advocates present how a national Dads on Duty program can help break the school-to-prison pipeline
Since the fathers began their school patrol in Louisiana, there haven't been any fights or arrests. The mayor is advocating for the program to be implemented citywide.
When fights do take place at schools, experts say, they often end in a suspension, expulsion, or can even lead to an arrest. Suspensions and arrests can also be attributed to behavioral, attendance, and academics.
Black students are over-represented in their share of public school suspensions and arrests, making up more than 15% of public school students while accounting for 33% of in school arrests, according to Education Week.
National data analyzed by the American Civil Liberties Union found that students who get suspended are three times as likely to be arrested within a year of the incident.
School psychologists often work alongside families, school counselors and teachers to formulate an intervention plan addressing social, emotional, behavioral and academic issues for students.
Kizzy Albritton, an associate professor in The University of Texas Department of school psychology, told Insider Dads on Duty can provide professionals a breakthrough to bridge connections with parents.
"The fact that there are these Black fathers that have taken a very proactive approach to say 'we are going to be a presence in the schools. We're going to ensure that our children feel safe and secure,' I think that is awesome ," she told Insider.
"This is an excellent example of families and schools partnering together to improve the social emotional behavioral outcomes for these students."
Dads on Duty can ease burnout Black school counselor says
The fathers in Shreveport told CBS
Francis says the program can offer teachers in the 70% of Minneapolis Public Schools that have cops on staff the option of a parent mediator instead. Officers were removed from schools after the murder of George Floyd.
Related Article Module: After protests and a pandemic, college students of color are bracing for a return to campus racismA Dads on Duty program in Minneapolis public schools, he added, would alleviate burnout of school staff serving as branches between white counselors and students of color.
"It is exhausting sometimes to be the bridge in these spaces," Francis said while adding he loves his job and his coworkers. "This [program] is going to be a game changer."
Advocates say the goal is to have a third party present who can de-escalate these situations, with absence of handcuffs and a gun - ensuring more students can come home to their families.