On today’s episode of The Confluence:
Allegheny County is accepting proposals for a new company to take over the former Shuman Juvenile Detention Center site
(0:00 - 7:19)
Earlier this month, Allegheny County put out a request for proposals for a developer to acquire the site of the former Shuman Juvenile Detention Center, with a preference for someone to build a privately-run facility. The county-run facility was closed 13 months ago after being cited by the state for multiple violations
“I know that it has been a struggle for the folks working within the system. So probation judges, police, just trying to figure out what to do because the center was closed without any warning,” says Kathi Elliott, chief executive officer of Gwen’s Girls and convener of the Black Girls Equity Alliance.
“[The County-run facility was] on a provisional license for a long period of time, but there still wasn't a plan for the closure. So, we are now dealing with the repercussions of that.”
Elliott says the closure of Shuman was an opportunity to promote intervention and prevention programs for youth, and any new detention should emphasize restorative practices.
With federal money, ‘Just Discipline’ programs will be piloted in local schools
(7:24 - 14:38)
Pre-pandemic, in the 2019-2020 school year, Pittsburgh Public Schools suspended 2,331 students. Of those, 79% were Black students, despite only making up 52% of the total student population at that time.
During the pandemic, suspensions severely dropped, but disparities still existed.
Two University of Pittsburgh professors are the recipients of $7 million in federal grants for the “School Just Discipline Project,” which seeks to reduce racial disparities in schools.
“Our criteria for involvement are under-resourced schools and schools that are serving majority African-American students, because we know that when these suspensions are doled out, they tend to be doled out more often on the most vulnerable populations,” says James Huguley, Pitt’s associate dean for diversity equity and inclusion and the project principal investigator.
The project is expanding to 20 schools next year, and it’s currently recruited 12 to participate under the first federal grant of the project.
Organizations propose the city establish a food justice fund
(14:41 - 22:30)
The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council urged the city to allocate $10 million to establish a food justice fund.
Representatives of organizations including the Policy Council and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank testified at a post-agenda session held by city council Wednesday to make their pitch.
“When the city first received the [American Rescue Plan] funds last year, that's when we developed the idea for the food justice fund,” says Sam Applefield, project manager with the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council. “The idea is it’s $10 million to be spent over four years, and what we would hope is over that time you'd show the efficacy of the investments in grassroots, community-led efforts to address food apartheid.”
A spokesperson for Mayor Ed Gainey’s office says the $335 million ARPA funding allocated to Pittsburgh has already been earmarked for specific projects, which doesn’t include a food justice fund.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in Monday to Thursday at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators take an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here or wherever you get your podcasts.
