System-wide failure on display
The debate over the criminalization of black youth is back in the news. A recently released video showing an officer arresting a 6-year-old black child has gone viral. What does the video say about our treatment of black youth?
When I watch the video my heart aches when she cries for help. I’m reminded of my own challenges as a black male and the fear for my son’s safety. As a black father, husband, uncle and son, the video increases my anxiety, fear and anger. Why do we allow these events to occur? The answer must include an honest conversation about systemic racism.
Some may argue that the officer was black, and race was not an issue. Remember the school to prison pipeline perpetuates the belief that certain groups should always be punished. Individuals from the same race can become part of harmful systems. The officer’s actions are a byproduct of a flawed system.
The decision to arrest and traumatize the student is another example of punishing black youth regardless of their age. The arrest was an unacceptable, systemwide failure that highlights the challenges black students encounter in schools throughout the nation.
Studies prove that black students are verbally reprimanded, suspended, expelled and arrested at a higher rate that white students, frequently for minor infractions that don’t require harsh penalties. The video is another example. We shouldn’t turn our eyes from a black 6-year-old girl’s cries for justice.
Unfortunately, the video is not an isolated incident. Numerous arrests occur inside school settings away from the wary eyes of advocates. I have witnessed similar events during my time as an educator. What can we do to prevent the next video from trending? Fortunately, along with a few colleagues, we have identified steps schools should take to change policies, procedures and attitudes.
Recently, I coauthored an article,
We offer several recommendations, including limiting school resource officers’ involvement with discipline.
There was a time when school administrators and teachers were responsible for resolving differences. Today students — specifically, black students — become caught in a disciplinary web that reshapes their future.
This isn’t sustainable. That’s why states and school districts across the nation have attempted to address this issue. For instance, over the last few years Florida has seen a decrease in expulsion and suspension rates among black youth. However, the gap between black and white students continues.
For this reason, my UCF colleague and I wrote a post for the American Psychological Association’s Psych Learning Curve blog in which we discussed how schools should address inequities that impact black and Latino youth.
The solutions are simple, including creating welcoming environments, but far too many schools fail to meet students’ needs. In addition, state and local leaders have to be committed to preventing any more black 6-year-old children from being handcuffed and dragged to jail.
I’m exhausted from watching videos appear on social media that continue a troubling trend. Instead of nurturing black children, they are treated unfairly by a system that doesn’t recognize their humanity.
While the officer was fired, the video signals that society has not solved the connection between power, race and education. I’m committed to dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline and ensuring black students feel supported. This must include hiring more black administrators, teachers and mental health specialists who understand and respect cultural norms.
Continuing down the same path is not an option. Public schools serve majorityminority students who are the future of America. How we treat them will determine the nation’s fate.