Blog Post #5: Final Thoughts

 Blog Post #5: Final Thoughts 

        Welcome back for one last time readers! I hope you have enjoyed following along as I progressed through the book Pushout by Monique Morris. Though I am sad I finished the book, there is a lot that I took away from reading it. To say that it was eye-opening would be an understatement. Throughout the book, the question of "What is wrong with our education system and how can we fix it to be more sensitive to Black girls and their needs?" lingered in the back of my mind throughout the entirety of my reading. By asking this question, both issues with schools as well as stereotypes were made relevant and their effects on the girls themselves were examined thoroughly through multiple interviews. 

        By asking such a question, it forces us to dive deep into the root of the problem. Black girls are often given "permission to fail," and are therefore held to lower expectations. Along with stereotypes and biased dress codes, poverty, and strained student-teacher relationships, Black girls often don't see the appeal behind school. As Morris phrased it, "They are affected by school-based decisions and practices that reinforce negative stereotypes about Black feminity and facilitate pushout, and their vulnerabilities increase once their connection with school has been harmed or severed" (Morris 177). 

        Black girls feel misunderstood by their teachers and peers, and the girls mentioned, "poor student-teacher relationships as a concern" (Morris 184). In juvenile detention facilities, girls lack enthusiasm and teachers lack proper resources to deal with girls who may have ongoing issues or concerns. Girls are unable to voice their questions and opinions and are therefore stifled. As stated by Morris, "Again, the inability for girls to ask questions - clarifying or otherwise - was perceived as a problem by multiple girls getting their education in juvenile hall" (Morris 160). All around them, girls are getting signals that their education is not important, whether that be from their teachers or their pimps. Furthermore, Black girls hesitate to prioritize themselves, leaving them in limbo. Oftentimes, their education takes the backseat. 

("School Discipline..")

        The failure to recognize the specific issues surrounding both gender and race for Black girls leaves them without resources to pull themselves out of poverty. To be more sensitive to their needs, we need to be aware of cultural norms. Things such as dress codes often single out Black girls simply due to their anatomy. So why should it be okay for white girls to wear a certain pair of shorts will Black girls are expelled for wearing the same pair? The issue is that Black girls are forced into a cookie-cutter idealism that is centered around white norms. "The failure to fully understand or make space for the wide-ranging gender identities that many of our girls embrace sets up a criminalizing pathway for girls" (Morris 177). 

        In order to fix this criminalization of Black girls in schools, it is crucial that we take note of the generalized stereotypes and assumed scenarios.  We must take the time to understand the individual and take note of their needs and desires. Morris states, "If our goal is really to interrupt the practices leading to the criminalization of our girls, then we want to disrupt 'business as usual' and take on processes that give us an opportunity to work alongside girls toward implementing plausible, long-term visions and opportunities" (Morris 192). 

        As I had talked about in my previous post, Black girls have been harmed by stereotypes that surround them. I then connected this to the prevalent issue of Asian-American hate crimes in the media. It is fabulous that they are getting so much attention and change is being made, but these crimes are new occurrences. The media is just focused on them now. The issue is that the criminalization and discrimination of Black girls do not get this publicity. Rather, the girls fly under the radar. Morris talks about the issues surrounding the saying "All Lives Matter" by talking about the fact that "Black Lives Matter" is not meant to belittle anyone else. She says, "addressing any of these shouldn't come at anyone else's expense" (Morris 175). 

(Klein)

        It is essential that we prioritize these girls. Their suffrage should be a stain on our educational institution and we need to strive to do better. As Morris remarked, "Defining freedom cannot amount to simply substituting it with inclusion. Countering the criminalization of Black girls requires fundamentally altering the relationship between Black girls and the institutions of power that have worked to reinforce their subjugation" (Morris 194). I heavily urge you to read this book yourself and become aware of how the education system is not at all tailored to Black girls and their needs. "As a locus of learning, our schools can serve a greater purpose than just indoctrinating our girls with the politics of surviving racial, class, and gender bias" (Morris 194). So I will leave you with the plea to make yourself aware of Black girls and their struggle for an education. Take it upon yourself to create change, on behalf of these girls. 

Works Cited

Klein, Rebecca. "These Are The Barriers Black Girls Face In School." The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, 6 Dec. 2017, www.huffpost.com/entry/nwlc-black-girls-report_n_5869644. Accessed 1 Apr. 2021.

Morris, Monique W., et al. Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools. Paperback edition. ed., New York, New Press, 2018.

"School Discipline: It's Different For Black Girls." The Takeaway, WNYC Studios, 12 Dec. 2014, www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/us-schoolgirls-discipline-varies-race. Accessed 1 Apr. 2021.