AN UNIDENTIFIED TEN-YEAR-OLD BOY IN OHIO WAS SUSPENDED FROM
SCHOOL FOR HAVING THE AUDACITY TO STARE AT A WHITE GIRL.
THIS
BLACK STUDENT WAS INVOLVED IN A STARING CONTEST WITH A GIRL IN
CLASS, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE DO.
IT
TURNS OUT THAT HE GOT SUSPENDED FOR INTIMIDATING
THE GIRL.
"THE UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT WAS SUSPENDED FROM A PRIVATE CATHOLIC SCHOOL,
ST.
GABRIEL CONSOLIDATED."
HE SAID, "I NEVER THOUGHT SHE WAS SCARED
BECAUSE SHE WAS LAUGHING.
I UNDERSTAND I DONE THE WRONG
THING THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
I WILL START TO THINK
BEFORE I DO SO I AM NOT IN THE
SITUATION."
THE MOTHER TOOK THIS TO A COURT IN OHIO, AND THE
COURT HAS DECIDED TO UPHOLD THE SUSPENSION.
P
PART OF THE REASON SHE WANTED TO TAKE THIS TO COURT WAS BECAUSE SHE
WANTED TO HAVE THE SUSPENSION TAKEN OFF HIS PERMANENT RECORD.
I'VE GOT NEWS, IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
I REMEMBER THAT IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN I GOT
INFORMATION FROM ADMISSIONS PEOPLE AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO
PERMANENT RECORD.
NOBODY CARES.
IN THAT CASE, I WOULDN'T WORRY
ABOUT IT TOO MUCH.
BUT, THE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THING IS
WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT ALL OF US?
WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT?
THE PARENTS OF THE BOY SAY THAT THE GIRL DID
SOMETHING MUCH WORSE IN A PREVIOUS CASE, SHE POURED MILK
OVER SOMEBODYíS LUNCH, AND NOBODY GOT SUSPENDED.
IF YOU ARE
WONDERING WHY WE'RE GETTING INTO MILK DISPUTES AND STARING
CONTESTS IN A LOCAL SCHOOL IN OHIO, I HEAR YOU ON THAT.
IF IT WAS ISOLATED, IF IT WAS BY ITSELF WITH NO HISTORICAL
CONTEXT.
BUT IT DOES HAVE
HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
THIS KID
WAS NOT KILLED, BUT HE WAS
SUSPENDED.
HE WAS ASSUMED TO BE THE ONE THAT WAS WRONG HERE, EVEN
THOUGH HE CLAIMS SHE WAS LAUGHING ALL ALONG.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO IS RIGHT AND WRONG IN THAT DISPUTE, AND I DON'T THINK
IT IS THAT IMPORTANT,
I JUST WISH THEY WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE
SENSITIVE TO THE CONTEXT.
WHENEVER, EVERY TIME A BLACK
PERSON, INCLUDING YOUNG BLACK MEN WHO WERE ACCUSED OF LOOKING
AT A WHITE WOMAN THE WRONG WAY, THERE WOULD BE ENORMOUS PRESSURE
ON THAT WHITE WOMAN, EVEN IF SHE WAS BEING PLAYFUL OR WHATEVER
THAT SITUATION WAS AT THE TIME, TO SAY THAT IT WAS HIS FAULT.
I WASN'T ENCOURAGING.
HE LOOKED AT ME THE WRONG WAY.
AND THEN OF COURSE HE WOULD HAVE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR
BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, FOR LOOKING AT WHITE PEOPLE
THE WRONG WAY.
IS THIS WHAT THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATORS AT THIS
SCHOOL ARE SPENDING THEIR TIME ON?
A STUDENT LOOKING AT ANOTHER
STUDENT IS INTIMIDATING?
THIS IS BEYOND RIDICULOUS.
HERE IS WHAT
HAPPENS IF YOU ARE A LEVELHEADED, NON-IGNORANT
TEACHER, OKAY?
YOU GO TO BOTH OF THE STUDENTS, AND YOU TELL THEM,
WE ARE IN CLASS, NO STARING
CONTESTS, YOU GET A WARNING THIS TIME BUT NEXT TIME YOU WILL BE
IN TROUBLE.
A STUPID TEACHER, WHO MAY BE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN
EDUCATION, WHO BELIEVES IN THE
ZERO TOLERANCE POLICIES, WOULD DO WHAT THIS ñ I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHO THE ADMINISTRATOR WAS, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
LET'S KEEP IT REAL.
IF I AM THE ADMINISTRATOR, I AM GOING TO THINK TWO THINGS.
ONE, LET'S GO BACK TO CLASS.
APPARENTLY SHE WAS MADE
UNCOMFORTABLE BY IT, SO DON'T
LOOK AT HER THAT WAY ANYMORE.
YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS PLAYING
ALONG?
SHE DID NOT THINK SHE WAS.
THE STUDENT GOES, I DID NOT
KNOW THAT, AND WE MOVE ON.
IF I AM AN ADMINISTRATOR I AM GOING
TO SAY, AM I REALLY GOING TO PUNISH A YOUNG BLACK KID FOR
LOOKING AT A WHITE GIRL THE
WRONG WAY?
YOU ARE AN ADMINISTRATOR AT A SCHOOL, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY
KNOW THE HISTORY OF THAT A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE IT HAPPENED
A LOT IN THIS COUNTRY AND HAD TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES.
I WOULD
NOT WANT TO BE PART OF THAT HISTORY, EVEN IF IT IS JUST A
SUSPENSION.
I WOULD WANT TO BE A LITTLE MORE COGNIZANT OF MY
SURROUNDINGS, EVEN IF I WAS AN
EDUCATOR.
I HAVE BEEN ACCUSED IN THE PAST OF INTIMIDATING
OTHER STUDENTS WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, BY THE VERY FACT THAT I
WAS LOUD AND INSISTED UPON MY
OPINION.
I INTIMIDATED THEM WITH MY OPINIONS, WHICH I
APPARENTLY CONTINUE TO DO TO
THIS DAY.
I AM NOT PREDISPOSED TO BELIEVING THAT PEOPLE CAN BE
EASILY INTIMIDATED.
AS AN EDUCATOR I WOULD SAY, IF YOU ARE
BULLYING SOMEONE I AM GOING TO
TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
BUT IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THEM
FUNNY, ACCORDING TO THEM, I AM GOING TO ASK YOU TO CUT IT OUT.
IF YOU KEEP DOING IT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE.
IT IS
AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY ARE NOT A WILLING
PARTICIPANT THAT I CARE.
BUT IF YOU TALK OR YOU LOOK IN A WAY THAT
PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH, THAT
IS NOT INTIMIDATION.
WE ARE ALL GOING TO MOVE ALONG, THAT IS
EXACTLY WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE.