The United States has a punitive attitude towards Black people. The United States seeks to condemn Black people for any infraction real or perceived. Americans, specifically White ones, love to believe they are authority figures that need to monitor, judge and teach Black people how to act and punish them if they don’t behave according to the satisfaction of Whites.
This week a story about a kindergartner and his teacher were in the news. The five year old boy pooped at school and stopped up the toilet. I think we’ve all been there. His teacher told him to clean the poop and toilet paper with his bare hands. That’s right. This wicked woman didn’t call the custodian. She didn’t talk to the boy about how much toilet paper should be used when cleaning his bottom. This White woman that is trained in child development decided to punish a five year old through humiliation for putting too much toilet paper in the stool.
The student was a five year old boy. His teacher that is employed to help students learn life skills and expand his horizons turned a teachable moment into an opportunity to demean and dehumanize the Black boy left in her care. Her culture has taught her that Black people, even five year olds should not be shown any grace and should be punished for any misstep. This teacher should have child endangerment charges brought against her and she should be sued in civil court by the little boy. America needs to be taught that there are other ways to interact with Black people than with an authoritative and punitive attitude.
Shannon in Kansas City YT: KC Bible Study IG: @showmeshannon Twitter: kcshannonlee1 