Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Mark R. Warren to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Join us as Mark shares insights from his latest book, Willful Defiance, shedding light on how exclusionary discipline policies, such as suspensions and expulsions for minor infractions, have been instrumental in pushing children from the classroom to the criminal justice system. As the conversation unfolds, Mark delves into the broader implications of these policies, connecting the school-to-prison pipeline with the rise of mass incarceration and systemic racial control. Through inspiring stories of resistance, Mark focuses on the role of parents and community organizers—particularly from Black and Latinx communities—who have been leading the charge against these policies. From grassroots campaigns to transform disciplinary practices to the adoption of restorative justice and practices, Mark emphasizes how community-driven efforts are creating alternative pathways for students to stay engaged in learning and avoid the prison system. Mark is a professor of public policy and public affairs at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is a sociologist and community-engaged scholar who studies and works with community, parent, and youth organizing groups seeking to promote racial equity, educational justice, and community liberation. Mark is the author of six books, most recently Willful Defiance: The Movement to Dismantle the School-to-Prison Pipeline. Mark has co-founded several networks promoting activist scholarship, community organizing, and education justice, including the People’s Think Tank on Educational Justice, the Urban Research-Based Action Network, and the Special Interest Group on Community and Youth Organizing in the American Educational Research Association.  Tune in to learn more about the profound impact of systemic racism in schools, the urgent need for policy change, and the power of restorative practices to foster healing and community connection. For more information on Mark Warren’s work, visit www.Mark-Warren.org.