Due to the strained and poor relationship between police officers and the Black community, students are asking Black boys; slain to violence at the hands of police, gangs and stray bullets, why didn’t you stay?
Black boys are disappearing right in front of our eyes and it’s becoming commonplace.
As the Nation celebrates the Union soldiers of the Civil War, the real victims of the ongoing American Civil War are Black males.
Interesting that the holiday is shaped after how Southern states honor the dead but quite frankly cannot honor the living. From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin, white male police officers have often their mixed “patriotism” with their “terrorism” on Black males in America.
The racial tension and hatred displayed by police officers is not just in the streets but now in school. Two weeks ago I witnessed a Principal, Black, Christian male, not connected to social justice issues, celebrating with a white police officers how he suspensed and put Black boys out of school.
“We know how to handle them now,” was the white officer’s response. Very scary how a white officer and Black male Principal would celebrate Black boys being put out of school and being forced in the streets. Aren’t police officers and Black men suppose to protect Black boys too? We don’t have the right officers and the right Black males leading school and classrooms. If they aren’t centered on social justice and reform, they aren’t the best fit for Black boys in schools.
I agree with the concerns of Black parents and students regarding adding more police officers in schools. Let’s be real, if they are shooting Black boys down in the streets for having cell phones, wallets, food, beverages or simply just being Black, why would we expect them to understand minor child disputes or disruptions in the classroom?
Black boys are already stereotyped in schools through bias policies. Adding police officers to the equation doesn’t create a safe environment. It simply changes schools from being trauma centers and not centers of hope for Black boys.
As we continue to honor the dead, let’s honor the innocent lives of Black boys by not turning schools into prison wards with adding more white cops in Black schools when we should be adding more Black male counselors.
Jason has worked in education for over 15 years as a teacher, blogger and community advocate. He speaks and writes primarily about the need to improve education for Black boys, particularly increasing the number of Black male educators in schools. In addition to blogging here at EdLanta, Jason is also a featured writer at Education Post.