On May 19, Hearing Youth Voices (a youth-led advocacy organization) met with the New London Board of Education to discuss reforming credit loss policy. Current policies, practices, and school cultures contribute to the unacceptably high numbers of youth, particularly youth of color, who are pushed out of school and into the school-to-prison pipeline. Hearing Youth Voices has identified credit loss as a key tactic for push-out: New London is the only school district in the region that doesn't give students the opportunity to appeal credit loss in the same semester they lost it.

At the meeting, Board President Peg Curtin committed the school board to reconsider this policy. For this to happen, the board needs a policy committee, which it has not had for some time. Despite continued communication from HYV, Curtin has still not appointed a policy committee. As a constituent who cares about youth, I'm fed up. I'll be calling Curtin to demand the board keep its promises; I suggest all of New London do the same.

Peg, appoint a policy committee and reform New London Public School's outdated credit loss policy. Hearing Youth Voices has done their job; it's time to do yours.

Kelsey Alexander

New London