A NBC Bay Area investigative series into the misuse of school officers has earned a coveted spot on the list of 2016 Peabody Award finalists.
The series of reports uncovered a disturbing trend within the education system, captured the attention of top officials at the White House, and spurred security changes across 34 schools in the San Francisco Bay Area that will soon impact roughly 67,000 students.
Reporter Bigad Shaban and producer Michael Bott spent over a year chronicling how the use of law enforcement to discipline students in the Bay Area resulted in some children being left with criminal records before they even hit puberty. Photojournalists Mark Villarreal and Michael Horn shot and edited the series. Additional photography was provided by photojournalists Jeremy Carroll and Felipe Escamilla. Nelson Hsu and Scott Pham designed online elements for the investigative series, including interactive features that helped make school disipline data easily accessible to online users.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Watch Part 1 of this NBC Bay Area Investigative Series:
Having police on school campuses is supposed to keep kids safe, but some say students are actually being harmed when the line between criminal activity and childish misbehavior gets blurred. Bigad Shaban reports in a story that first aired September 28, 2015.
Watch Part 2 of this NBC Bay Area Investigative Series:
A Bay Area school district recently referred more students to police than nearly every other district in the country. Bigad Shaban reports in a story that first aired September 29.
Watch Part 3 of this NBC Bay Area Investigative Series:
One of the largest school districts in the Bay Area is defending its discipline policies after an NBC Bay Area investigation revealed children were being left with arrest records for what some described as just childish misbehavior at school.
Watch Part 4 of this NBC Bay Area Investigative Series:
Sweeping changes governing the use of police officers at dozens of South Bay schools will go into effect this year as part of a pilot program after an NBC Bay Area investigation revealed students were being left with criminal records for what many describe as childish misbehavior. Bigad Shaban reports.
Watch Part 5 of this NBC Bay Area Investigative Series:
Most Bay Area students attend a school that’s regularly patrolled by a campus police officer, but an NBC Bay Area investigation found many schools fail to outline even the most basic roles and responsibilities of those officers. Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban reports.
Watch Part 6 of this NBC Bay Area Investigative Series:
The Obama Administration is releasing new guidelines concerning the use of campus-based police officers. The push for national reform comes in the wake of a more than a year-long NBC Bay Area investigation. Bigad Shaban reports on a story that first aired on Dec. 20.
Watch Part 7 of this NBC Bay Area Investigative Series:
A nearly two-year long NBC Bay Area investigation revealed schools call the police on black students and children with disabilities at disproportionately higher rates than their peers. Following the series of Investigative Unit reports, California Assemblywoman Shirley Nash Weber (D-San Diego) is now proposing legislation that would require school districts to define the role and responsibilities of their campus based...
The distinguished Peabody Award has been bestowed to “stories that matter” since 1940, recognizing the best in news, entertainment, radio, documentaries, and web. Of the more than 1,200 entries submitted for this year's award, only 60 finalists were named. Of those, 30 winners will be announced by category over the coming weeks. All finalists and winners will be recognized at the 76th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony on May 20 in New York City.
