Collierville High School (CHS) is located in Collierville,
Tennessee. The demographics of its student body are 76 percent white, 14
percent African American, and 10 percent other minorities as listed on US News.
On September 14, 2016, CHS hosted its annual "America Day"
celebration at school where students were expected to don apparel that
represented America--the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave. A group of students decided to react to the
situation by wearing this:
They dressed in all black to protest the injustices that
black bodies have endured in this land of the free. The students followed their usual routine in
school--they attended classes, lunch, etc.
The only difference was their choice in clothing. When the final bell rang dismissing the
students to go home, they were met with several squad cars and police officers
waiting outside, "out of fear of a riot". Why?
Because a black body in black clothing is a cause for concern. Because a black body in black clothing is
considered a threat in our society. One student responded to the kids wearing black by stating
that the police should shoot them, and another kid waved a confederate flag in
response to those wearing black.
Additionally, the police officers followed the students dressed in black
to keep an eye on them, but who followed the student that suggested shooting
his classmates? What crime did these
African American students commit in order to be stalked by police officers?
This event highlights one of the most difficult realities
about race relations. African Americans
are constantly criminalized for normal acts.
With the death toll of black bodies killed by police officers, this is
becoming more and more apparent. Here's a list of some normal acts that have
costed black individuals their lives.
- Buying a toy bb gun in Walmart
- Walking on the sidewalk at 8 pm.
- Having a "bad day"
- Visiting a girlfriend
- Playing with a toy gun in the park
- Dropping off food to your children
- Having a broken tail light
- Talking too loudly
The list goes on. In
each of these cases, the victims were allegedly engaging in
"suspicious" activity. So what exactly is suspicious about any of
these activities? Many across the nation
have asked this same question regarding these deaths and others like them. Nevertheless, the cops in the cases are rarely discharged from the police force or
convicted in a court of law. The
victim's families and community are always the ones left behind to tell their
stories. It is these circumstances that
contribute to the overall frustration with the United States justice
system.
Under the beliefs
tabs on CHS's website, the following words appear "Each student is a
valued individual with unique physical, social, emotional, and intellectual
needs". So, for these students
protesting a country that has a long history of excusing the murders of its
citizens to be profiled, intimidated, and threatened is repulsive. Furthermore, students calling attention to
the value of their black lives were silenced with the very force that is
utilized to contest that statement.
Those students had attended the same school for a little over a month,
when this event occurred. Faculty and
staff should have known the kids' characters by this time. A black body in black clothing was the only
change in their routine actions. This
should not have been considered a justifiable reason to call the police. They
should have been allowed to wear black peacefully, to protest the unjust
killings of people who look like them.
Sadly, the CHS response is not an isolated instance. It happens in many communities across the
nation (remember the response to the students dressed in black while wearing
berets at Rhodes College a few semesters ago?).
Nevertheless, there needs to be a better response to individuals
peacefully manifesting their dissatisfaction with the state of our
society. How do we have healthy dialogue
with those that do not understand the cultural and historical implications of
responding to protesters in such a manner?
Please comment your thoughts and suggestions below.
What the faculty did to the African American student body at Collierville High School is appalling, and frankly they should be embarrassed and ashamed they became so uncomfortable they felt the need to called the police. In my opinion, the action of the faculty to call the police in the midst of a peaceful protest proves that the African American desire to attain greater freedom still threatens some members of American society. Unfortunately, there are individuals who still practice old “race thinking” and see blacks as inferior, dangerous, and needing to be controlled. Throughout the United States, but recently in more urban areas, we have seen the rise of police brutality against blacks, who are peacefully expressing their dissatisfaction with the state of American society. These peaceful protesters, like the African American students at Collierville High School, are only trying to assert their legal rights, but end up being treated like horrible criminals. I think conversations need to stop being had on social media because while they bring attention to the situation, I think Koritha Mitchell makes a good point by saying continuously showing dead African Americans is not beneficial to the African American community. I know this is a far reach, but dialogue needs to start being had in person and in spaces (maybe churches, schools, and community centers) that address the push back African American protesters are receiving, media just makes everything more complicated.
ReplyDeleteRaven, this is a very powerful post, and it reminds me of Laurie Green's discussion of "mental liberties" in Battling the Plantation Mentality. Even when African American students were simply trying to raise awareness of injustice through wearing black clothes, someone in a position of power decided that this was a threat. These African American students seemingly lost the mental freedom to even dress how they wish. I think Alexa is on to something when she says "the African American desire to attain greater freedom still threatens some members of American society." Uniting in their choice of clothing and seeking to make a peaceful statement, these high school students made some people uncomfortable. Discomfort led these people to call the police. If we always equate being uncomfortable with being fearful, we will achieve very little progress. People must be willing to grow, and without embracing at least some level of discomfort, growth will not happen.
ReplyDeleteWhat's happened at Collierville HS and, more recently, Germantown HS, reminds me that this city and the towns around it still fosters bigotry. I've been raised in an extremely liberal household and always tried to surround myself with people who I get along with, thus people who share my ideals. I forget that these other circles with different views exist because I get so used to my circle which reaffirms my views constantly. I try to broaden that circle in efforts to better myself but I view bigoted people as worse than me, so I'm not going to associate with them. I think that's pretty common, if unfair of me.
ReplyDeleteSo, that guy at Collierville who wanted to shoot other students for dressing a certain way, I want him to be punished. Let's call him Cletus. I want Cletus to be punished because he's really, really obviously wrong. He is. But by punishing him, I'm completely alienating him and the entire Cletus family.
By doing that and viewing myself as the superior who is worthy of punishing Cletus, I'm never going to have an honest dialogue with anyone who thinks the same way Cletus does. And I'd be fine with that because why would I want to talk to a racist, but that racist isn't going away. If anything, he's just going to get louder. The only way to get him to quieten down is to either get rid of him altogether, which I can't, or discuss with him why he feels like he has the right to kill somebody. Cletus will not listen to me because I think he's an awful person and he knows that. I punished him, for God's sake. The only way either of us open up is to start to respect one another, even if we very much disagree. Only then can permanent, widespread change happen. At least, that's how I see it.
But I really don't respect Cletus. I don't know how to. And he's only part of an even larger community that I think is completely objectionable. If I can't talk to Cletus, I certainly can't talk to the rest of them.
The first answer always given to making change is "education," but that requires humanizing Cletus to the extent that I can talk to him without getting red in the face. I'm not sure how I do that or if it really is the best course of action or if that's what action even needs to be taken right now.
The fact is that I need to talk to Cletus and all his group, but I'm scared of him and what he represents and what all his folk represent. I don't want to have to deal with that when I could just stick with my circle of liberal middle-class urbanites.
So I'm not sure what it takes to change me or any other person. Maybe just spending an afternoon with Cletus and figuring out that he loves his family just as much as I love mine, that he likes lying down in the sunshine or reading to his nephews or cooking for his girlfriend.
That takes so much time, but I think that's how I have to approach something as huge as systematic bigotry. Others will have different ways and maybe I'll follow those paths too, but right now, I just have to be kind and willing to listen.
I had not heard about this event until now but my question is who called the police and why. Since when was wearing black (which a lot of teenagers do) considered a dangerous act? Instances like this give me little hope in Southern states because of the reaction that comes with it. Having a high school kid reacting to this by saying the police should shoot them or waving a confederate flag is a hostile and fearful reaction that no doubt came from the beliefs of their parents. This issue is larger than the facts that it comes with but allows us to think about how parents have raised their children and the beliefs that were instilled in them.
ReplyDeleteThank for your thoughts, Raven. Your post reminds me that blackness is political. How a black person decides to dress, wear their hair, speak, act, etc. is all political. It should not be, but people's perception and fear of black people cause it to be.
ReplyDeleteI don't have an answer to your question. I'm not sure how to engage in a conversation with those who are committed to the racialized perception of black people especially after the election that just occurred. However, I think it is important to teach marginalized students and people how to respond to these kinds of incidents. I think undergoing training, like non-violent activists did in the 60s, would be beneficial especially with the constant question about whether or not it is appropriate to engage in violence.