New London — The group Hearing Youth Voices plan to gather with youth from across the state Saturday for a rally to call attention to what they call a school-to-prison pipeline caused by suspensions, expulsions and arrests in schools.

Locally the group has been fighting to draw attention to the New London school district’s attendance policy, which they say is confusing and leads to some students failing classes even with passing grades.

Hearing Youth Voices will be joined at Saturday’s rally by Youth Council for Justice, a Norwalk-based organization. Youth leaders from New London and Norwalk will tell stories of their encounters with the school-to-prison pipeline, and the effect it has had on their lives.

The groups will also present data showing that black students and students of color in Connecticut are more likely to be suspended, expelled and pushed out of school than their white peers.

Youth leaders will hold a moment of silence for the anniversary of the killing of Michael Brown as well as for all the other black men and women across the country who have died due to police violence.

The rally will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. at Parade Plaza, across from 1 Bank St. near the Whale Tail fountain.