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December 30, 2016

Missouri: New Law Will Make Schoolyard Fighting a Felony
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In Missouri, a law set to take effect with the new year will allow
felony charges to be brought against children who get into fistfights on
school buses or on school property. Under the statute, students caught
fighting could face third-degree assault charges and up to four years in
prison, regardless of their age or grade level. Critics say Missouri's
new law will worsen the state's school-to-prison pipeline and will
disproportionately affect African Americans. Last year, a study by
UCLA's Center for Civil Rights Remedies found black elementary school
children in Missouri are suspended at higher rates than in any other
state.


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