The atrocities of the Jenna Six have been widely circulated throughout the news and blog spheres. Of course, it has shocked Americans on a national level, and pricked the skin of humanity on an international level.
Some may argue, "This is one isolated incidence. At least racial issues aren't as prominent today as they were, say, in the sixties" or "Well, Jenna is in the south, a geographic location that is deeply rooted in racial segregation and unrest."
Ok, now let's step into reality, and rest in these shallow consolations no longer. Another alarming, racially charged conflict came into play, not in the south, but in the progressive state of ..California---and not in the sixties, but less than a month ago. Yet there has been very little news coverage of this event---hmmm, so Brittany's shameful VMA performance has taken precedence over REAL news yet again. Gotta love America's source for information.
Well here's the story for you: Also occurring on public school grounds, a sixteen year old African American female student, Pleajhai Mervin, was physically mulled down by a school security guard, her wrist broken in the process, and racial slurs like "nappy head" spat at her. For what you say?? What could a teenage girl have done to cause such a physical threat to a beefy, robust (Look at the clip below) security personnel, that he felt the need to snap her bone in half? Well here it is folks: for not picking up a piece of spilled BIRTHDAY CAKE that fell onto the school cafeteria floor, to this security guard's satisfaction. You heard right, no more sloppy eating in the cafeteria boys and girls, lest your wrists be broken and bums sent to jail because, yeah, that's what happened! Mervin was sent to jail under the charges of LITTERING and assault! Again, I'd like to know why she was charged with assault.
This security guard was idiotic enough to assualt Mervin in the presence of fellow students, so of course, more than one kid whipped out their cell phones to record this heinous act. And what happened to them? They were arrested of course (now I'm wondering when public schools began operating under the iron fist of a police state. Arrested for using a cell phone? This sounds like communist china!) Wow, this story keeps on getting better and better, but wait, there's more.
So Mervin's mother goes to the school to demand the immediate arrest of this security guard---this seems logical given the circumstances. Upon her request, the school's office phones the police, but the flashing patrol cars arrive under the order to arrest Mervin's mother, not the security guard! I guess it's easier to bully and silence a voice demanding justice than it is to face the consequential reality of brutal acts and take responsibility for them. Ironically, Mervin's mother was also an employee of the school district and she has been expelled from her job without a pay check.
WOW, wow, wow. Why hasn't this story gotten more air time? If the racial properties of this event had been flipped—if a white teenage girl was physically assaulted by a black security guard for not adequately picking up a piece of birthday cake, Americans would be ranting and raving about this immediately. It has been almost three weeks since the wrist break and most Americans have no clue this abuse took place!
You know what truly appalls me? (not that the whole situation isn't appalling enough on its own). Both the Jenna Six incidence and this wrist breaking incidence took place in a school setting. A school!! A government institution that exists for the sole purpose of educating the future faces of America in a socially just and safe atmosphere. Schools are supposed to be dispelling and dismissing the tangled roots of racial bigotry, not enforcing them! When racist actions surface within a government funded educational institution, the school is under an obligation to protect the victims and demand justice. Not hide behind bully bullshit and intimidation techniques! What kind of message is that sending to students?
Public school provides an educational experience that teaches more than algebra and geography. Students learn how to function within the established guidelines and rules of contemporary society. Their attitudes and values are constructed and defined in this social, coming of age environment. For example, kids learn "it's not okay to murder, it's wrong to steal little Tommy's toys, it's wrong to cheat on your spelling test, it's bad to pick your nose in public, you can't come to school naked, you can't talk while the teacher is talking, you shouldn't punch Joey because he won't share his gummy bears with you, but call Lakisha over there "nappy head" and it's okay??? Right…..So public school is the new breeding ground for racist and communist values. Students are stripped of rights and treated like animals.
Okay, now the big question: Why is America silent when all that this country is based on (freedom of speech, social equality, social justice) is on the endangered species list?
Here's a link to the footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFKxkeacLYs
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment