Morgan State Faculty Lead Keynote on Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline

On October 1, 2025, the Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy at Morgan State University proudly partnered with Johns Hopkins University’s SOURCE community engagement program to host Breaking Cells: Understanding the School-to-Prison Pipeline. This keynote event, held at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, brought together scholars, practitioners, and community leaders to examine the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) as an urgent educational, public health, and racial justice crisis.

Dr. Bryant O. Best, Assistant Professor of Urban Educational Leadership at Morgan State and Research Faculty with the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities (NCEED), delivered the keynote address. Dr. Best outlined the systemic drivers of the school-to-prison pipeline, drawing from contemporary research and decades of community struggle. He highlighted how exclusionary discipline policies, zero-tolerance approaches, structural disinvestment, and racialized perceptions of student behavior disproportionately harm Black students, Latino students, English learners, students with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ students, and youth from low-income communities.

The session emphasized that the consequences of punitive school practices extend beyond those directly disciplined, impacting academic achievement, college access, and long-term opportunities for entire school communities. Dr. Best urged educators, policymakers, and advocates to consider how teacher preparation, administrative decision-making, and institutional racism perpetuate inequities—and how intentional reform can disrupt these cycles.

Following the keynote, a panel of Baltimore-based community leaders shared their lived experiences and organizational responses to the STPP. Panelists included Alexandria Adams (Elev8 Baltimore), Dr. Stanley Andrisse (From Prison Cells to PhD), and Shel Simon (Next One Up). Each highlighted community-centered interventions that provide culturally relevant education, mentoring, wellness supports, and pathways to opportunity for Baltimore youth.

The panel discussion underscored the power of coalition-building across education, health, and advocacy sectors. Leaders shared lessons on sustaining organizations, scaling programs, and addressing the complex needs of young people navigating systemic barriers. They also challenged attendees to take concrete steps in their daily and professional lives to disrupt harmful practices and advance equity.

Breaking Cells reflected the department’s ongoing commitment to tackling educational disparities through research, policy, and practice. By centering community voices and emphasizing collective responsibility, the event not only illuminated the roots of the school-to-prison pipeline but also advanced a vision for educational justice and systemic change.

For more information about the Social Justice Series and upcoming events, visit SOURCE.jhu.edu.