Black Historical past Month has come and gone, with the San Jose Unified College District persevering with to fail Black college students. Black college students make up solely 2.5% of the SJUSD scholar physique, however they're overrepresented in particular training at 16%, as a consequence of a scarcity of culturally responsive and trauma knowledgeable practices. Moreover, they're extra more likely to be suspended than their white friends and fewer more likely to graduate with college-readiness.
The pandemic and toll of systemic anti-Black racism have created a psychological well being disaster for Black youth. Nonetheless, as a substitute of hiring psychological well being therapists and restorative justice practitioners, SJUSD just lately employed 27 campus law enforcement officials from SJPD, a police division identified for its racist and violent concentrating on of Individuals of Colour.
To raised convey the urgency of this situation, SJUSD college students (lots of them college students of shade) from Lincoln, Gunderson, Leland, Broadway, and San Jose Excessive shared their ideas on being policed in school:
“In virtually all interactions that I’ve had with campus police I've felt disrespected, unsafe, and uncomfortable. I had a bunch of teenagers yelling at me, pushing me round and cussing at me. …I keep in mind making eye contact with one of many campus law enforcement officials and as a substitute of attempting to cease what was occurring, he turned his again to me and stored going together with his dialog. …The individual that the district employed to “defend the group” turned a blind eye to somebody that was being harassed and bullied.”
“My expertise exhibits how the college system’s zero tolerance coverage at SJUSD has failed me as a scholar. As an alternative, if SJUSD had a supportive and restorative system focusing extra on methods to assist me as a scholar, I'd not have needed to undergo lots of the struggles I did… . This punitive system causes extra hurt than assist and we have to begin placing funds for psychological well being assist, college counselors, college nurses and packages to assist college students who're struggling.”
“Law enforcement officials on campus is totally pointless. … Not their job to protect us like prisoners. … A gun just isn't the best tactic to deal with kids.”
“I’m a Mexican American and I’ve been racially profiled by the police at my college, which might result in a number of bag and particular person searches. …The disrespect and racism I felt just isn't OK. … Considered one of my associates is a African American and has been searched and profiled… 4 to 5 instances annually throughout his complete highschool profession. Each time they search us, they discover nothing and ship us again to our lessons feeling violated and disrespected.”
“The cop requested to see my college schedule, which I confirmed him. … I've by no means seen him earlier than, nor was I performing suspicious in any approach, but he was in a position to see my title and faculty data.”
“Many undesirable advances from the police, comparable to them simply out of the blue questioning folks after they had been simply strolling to high school.”
“As an alternative of losing cash on police … the district ought to use the cash on nurses and counselors. Counselors would assist the children/teenagers with psychological points and assist them discover methods to assist them cope. Counselors additionally know methods to de-escalate conditions and resolve issues professionally; this may assist with battle decision in colleges and make colleges a safer and extra comfy setting.”
No matter whether or not SJUSD finally convenes an advisory committee to check the usage of SJPD, they need to instantly finish the policing of scholars, and as a substitute rent psychological well being counselors, restorative justice practitioners and culturally competent educators to heal the injuries that this pandemic and a long time of anti-Black racism have inflicted on our most weak college students.
Ava Phillips is a senior and scholar athlete at Lincoln Excessive College. Carmen Brammer is a San Jose resident, political strategist, advocate and member of the Black Management Kitchen Cupboard.