Skip to main content

--History Doesn't Repeat Itself But, It Does Rhyme--

Text: Law and Order in School and Society: How Discipline and Policing Policies Harm Students of Color, and What We Can Do About It
Author: Janelle Scott 

    In, “Law and Order in School and Society: How Discipline and Policing Policies Harm Students of Color, and What We Can Do About It,” Scott outlines possible approaches to counter the destructive policies in place in schools and society which negatively impact students of color.   Scott outlines recommendations for both local and state levels.  The recommendations are socialistic in nature such as the redistribution of resources and creating restorative justice in school communities.  In these types of school communities, students become active participants in their academic learning, social emotional development, and acquire skills to assist with conflict resolution. 

    The concept of restorative practice aligns with the concept of “Critical Hope” presented by Duncan in ``Hope Required When Growing Roses in Concrete.”  Duncan states, “[Teachers] do not create an ideal environment for growth, but they afford some leaking in of sunlight, water, and other resources that provide the material justification to hope” (186).  A restorative justice school environment emphasizes the importance of creating and utilizing community resources, builds rapport with  students and their families, and  facilitates connections between students and local organizations. 
    The relationships built and skills learned through restorative teaching are examples of the “sunlight” 🌞 and “water” 🚰 needed in school communities to help students navigate and potentially overcome the barriers encountered in urban communities (Duncan, 186). 

Text (Ted Talk): How We're Priming Some Kids for College and Others for Prison
Author: A. Hoffman

    Hoffman’s Ted Talk argues that some students are primed for college while  others are funneled from schools into the prison system; a school to prison pipe-line.  Hoffman's argument aligns with a music quote in the 13th documentary, “Most youth will never escape the jail fate.” To help urban youth escape this fate,  Hoffman suggests a progressive reform of the criminal justice system: a shift from a CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM to a CRITICAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.  Hoffman’s ideal is a system that (1) Acknowledges the  practice of exclusion in society, (2) Does not continue or promote exclusionary practices, and (3) Believes in young black people.  A system that believes in young black and brown children  is a system built on Duncan’s concept of “Critical Hope.”

Text: 13th Documentary
Author (Screenwriter): Ava DuVernay

    The 13th documentary argues that systems of oppression have evolved but, the inequities of resources and opportunities for “high poverty communities of color” have transcended time.  Throughout the years, systems of oppression have been redesigned; slavery to lynching, lynching to Jim Crow, Jim Crow to  segregation, and segregation to mass incarceration.  Scott suggests a similar viewpoint in the article, Law & Order in School and Society, “The rise of mass incarceration, is a continuation of the slave era control over the lives of black people aimed at framing black people as a permanent under-caste in American life” (10).  These systems of oppression exist in America because conservative ideologies of the penal system have merged with capitalist ventures in privatizing the system to create a profitable market. 

    The way the private prison system exploits the inmate correlates to the system of slavery. These policies are used to benefit the private shareholders rather than the well being and rehabilitation of incarcerated people of color and their communities. 


Comments

  1. HI! Janelle, I really like what you highlighted some of the very interesting points here. I think that a lot has been achieved since many decades ago, teachers play a crucial role in making students see the discrimination and reaching to the place of making that gradual change of faulty justice system. The analysis of the scholars exchanged the inequality of justice, social, civil and rights to education. I am amazed by see the decades of sacrifices and bearing of torturous treatment is really saddening. But I am hopeful that teacher like yourself, will be that building step up the stairs to reach the ultimate goal of treating people of color as human and accepting in a democratic ideal society, equity has to be willingly attained without the fear of being powerless or lack in ability of being civil human species.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rachel--
    Thank you for your comment. Stakeholders in communities such as teachers, small business owners, local police and fire departments all hold a vital role in creating relationships with children and families in the community. These relationships, I believe, help promote a positive and safe environment where difficult conversations about race and culture can be had.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction:

Hi!!  My name is Shannon Pero (Babul).  I am an elementary school ESL teacher in Johnston, Rhode Island. I primarily work with students that have recently moved to the United States and have low English proficiency levels. My undergrad work was completed at Rhode Island College where I obtained a BA in Elementary Education and an Early Childhood and ESL Certification.  I am working to finish my Masters at RIC in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL). In my spare time, I enjoy traveling (when we are allowed to), hiking with my two rambunctious  dogs, and relaxing at the beach.   Below are pictures of my pups at our favorite place, East Matunuck State Beach .  Brickley 5 years old (left) / Lola  12 years old (right)

Is "Ac"--Knowledging Enough?

Text: Precious Knowledge (Documentary) Director: Ari Palos Cast: Curtis Acosta/ Jose Gonzalez The Precious Knowledge documentary takes place in Tucson, Arizona.  The documentary depicts the personal narratives of teachers and students and their experiences with cultural inequities in Tucson such as, unsafe neighborhoods, poor healthcare , and the lack of quality education.  Students enrolled in an Ethnic Studies course at Tucson Magnet High school are twice as likely to graduate high school than their counterparts in other schools. Despite this, Arizona school administrators and lawmakers strive to shut down the program.  As a result, students create a civil rights movement in an effort to keep their Ethnic Studies program.  . Throughout the documentary, teachers and students express their appreciation for and commitment to the social justice curriculum taught in the Ethnic Studies program.  Jose Gonzalez, an Ethnic Studies teacher, believes in the concept...

Who Are We?

Text: Dis/ability critical race studies (DisCrit): Theorizing at the intersections of race and dis/ability Author: S.  Annamma, D. Connor, & B. Ferri The article, Dis/ability critical race studies (Discrit): Theorizing at the intersections of race and dis/ability argues that race and dis/ability are two interlocking systems of oppression that negatively impact individuals in society and education. According to the article, students of color are more likely to be segregated from their peers to receive specialized instruction than white students. The article states, "dis/ability justifies segregation and unequal treatment for students of color compared to their white counterparts"(7). The practice of segregating students based on race and dis/ability aligns with the ideas presented in the 13th documentary.   (Click the picture for more information) The 13th documentary suggests that there has been a perpetuation of systems of oppression throughout history such as, slaver...