“I can’t talk with you. You’re not the parent,” Michelle
Hunt, assistant principal at the Durham School of the Arts said.
“I’m with the parent,” I responded.
“I’m here, I give him permission,” the mother chimed in with
the type of disdain that needed a few bad words to accent her feelings.
“I need it in writing,” Hunt said while rushing to avoid the
subject.
“I can write it now,” the parent said.
“Talk to our lawyers,” were Hunt’s last words before leaving
us in the middle of the hallway to process what had just happened.
The confrontation with Hunt followed an attempt to
understand the suspension of a student for sexual harassment. The suspension
was the result of a combination of hearsay evidence, loads of implicit bias
that assumed the merits of a white, female’s version to a story about youth
playing in the back of a bus and kids talking about a black boy and a white
girl doing what kids often do.
It was all consensual. It all ended after he reached first
base.
The boy in question is an honor student. He has more A’s
than B’s and is the type of young man who will soon be courted by schools like
Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Duke and Stanford. His short-term plan is to apply
for the North Carolina School of Math and Science. His academic credentials
make him a prime candidate for the illustrious school.
This is a kid with professional parents. He’s never been in
trouble. He spends his spare time reading books about astronomy and history.
The only thing standing in the way of his becoming one of the nation’s who’s
who is the time it takes to get from point A to point B.
So, why was he suspended?
That’s one of the questions I wanted to ask Hunt and David
Hawks, principal at the School of the Arts before I was given the proverbial
speak to the hand. I also wanted detailed information related to the process
used to determine the need for a three day suspension. I was seeking evidence from the system policy
manual that justified the decision because I couldn’t find any.
Beyond my need for answers, I had a point to make. It’s a
critical point involving the psychological burdens that black boys endure after
being suspended. I felt compelled to give a quick lesson on how the decision
could potentially damage the student.
What was made clear, based on the actions of Hunt, is a
total lack of appreciation for the role advocates and parents play in
protecting students from the damage of implicit bias. Her lack of respect for
me, as an advocate, combined with a lack of support in meeting the demands of a
concerned parent, sent a message that left both of us troubled.
She needed to hear how parents feel when their sons get
labeled and harassed by their peers. She needed to consider how a suspension
can feel like the beginning of a life deconstructing the positive self-imagery
of a black boy. She needed to consider the process used to determine guilt, and
how the race of his accuser titled the way she handled the investigation.
I would say more about the investigation, but, due to my desire
to protect both students from further bullying, simply trust me. Oh, yes, this
is a case of bullying. This boy has been bullied by both students and members
of the staff. What happened was a witch hunt that assumed guilt versus a real
conversation about moving forward after students began making fun of her and
labeling him.
This is also about her being bullied. After the word spread
regarding what happened, both students were bombarded by other students who
craved the details on what happened. Sadly, the administration lacks the
insight needed to bring healthy closure to this situation.
My research on the Durham School of the Arts has uncovered a
sad truth. There is a vast disparity in the suspension of whites versus blacks.
It is also clear that David Hawks tends to rule too harsh in the suspension of
black boys. Beyond the apparent discrepancy reflected in those numbers, is a
lack of passionate customer service. Hunt’s lack of patience in this case
exposes a clear case of implicit bias.
I recommend some serious cultural sensitivity training for
both Hunt and Hawkins. If not granted, I present to you evidence that suggest
the need for rapid changes in leadership at the Durham School of the Arts.
Stay tuned-in for updates.
When administrators listen to parents and advocates, solutions can be found. If administrators are going to get defensive and paranoid and refuse to communicate with parents of black kids, hiding behind lawyers, the kids are the ones who suffer, just as you say. I can't decide if this makes me sad or really, really mad.
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