Decriminalizing Education, One Story at a Time

• In Event: Consequential Teaching: Centering Teachers' Identities-in-Practice in Complex Times

Abstract

It is my belief that there isn’t a linear path to success. I am a Black woman who was raised and attended schools in the inner city. My academic journey was unique; I was born to a teen parent and I am one of eight children. As a result of my mother being an early child bearer, education was not the primary focus in my household. I repeated several grades and developed an academic inferiority complex. To mask my academic insecurity, I began to resent the classroom. I was overly active in academic settings and was soon labeled as delinquent. Being viewed as a disruptive student made my academic journey incredibly trying. I was often suspended from school for extended periods of time. One example of the severe disciplinary action I faced included being on superintendent suspension. I was unable to attend school from February until April. Shortly after, I was suspended again from April until June, furthering my academic gap. I often felt judged and targeted within my school community.
These experiences shaped me as an educator, and I am determined to meet the needs of diverse learners, creating a classroom environment free of basis and behavioral labels. It is my goal to ensure that students who struggle do not fall victim to a pipeline of prison statistics. I would like an equitable outcome for all students, despite behavioral challenges. Statistics show the Black students are criminalized, subjected to harsher disciplinary action in school as opposed to their white counterparts. Black students are twice as likely to be physically harmed by authority figures in school. Additional issues plaguing our academic institutions include a lack of cultural awareness, adultification of minority students, and a disturbing pipeline from school “discipline” to criminalization. I take this knowledge into the classroom with me.
When planning instruction, I implement a culturally sustaining pedagogy (Paris & Alim, 2017). The content speaks not only of the injustice BIPOC students face but also highlights and celebrates the contributions made to society by those groups who have been systematically oppressed. For example, when teaching a unit on finding our voice, we discussed the black male experience. We read texts like “Black Men in Public Spaces” (Staples, 1986). This offered students from other ethnic backgrounds an opportunity to gain insight as it relates to navigating society as a black male. Additionally, I conducted a novel study on Bryant Stevenson's Just Mercy, which allowed students to address issues within our society in which we see injustice. We had meaningful dialogue regarding how representation has a direct correlation to the criminalization of marginalized groups. My mission as a Black woman and educator is to equip students with the tools needed to advocate for themselves and others whenever witnessing injustice. A culturally sustaining pedagogy involves incorporating a multicultural curriculum, creating an academic environment where students' unique cultural strains are exemplified and nurtured, so the “whole student” can be supported to achieve and succeed.

Author

• Staraisa Jones, New York City Department Of Education
  Presenting Author