Why Black girls are targeted for punishment at school -- and how to change that | Monique W. Morris

Translator: Nelson Simfukwe Reviewer: Joachim Mangilima

When I was in the sixth grade, I got into a fight at school.

Nilipokuwa darasa la sita, nilijikuta nikigombana shuleni.

It wasn't the first time I'd been in a fight,

Haikuwa mara ya kwanza kugombana,

but it was the first time one happened at school.

lakini ilikuwa mara ya kwanza kutokea shuleni.

It was with a boy who was about a foot taller than me,

Niligombana na mvulana ambaye alikuwa mrefu zaidi yangu kwa futi moja,

who was physically stronger than me

ambaye alikuwa na nguvu zaidi yangu

and who'd been taunting me for weeks.

aliyekuwa akinitania kwa wiki kadhaa.

One day in PE, he stepped on my shoe and refused to apologize.

Siku moja tukiwa katika somo la mazoezi ya viungo, alinikanyaga na kukataa kuomba radhi.

So, filled with anger, I grabbed him and I threw him to the ground.

Hivyo, nikiwa nimejaa hasira, nilimkamata na kumuangusha chini.

I'd had some previous judo training.

Niliwahi kujifunza judo.

(Laughter)

(Kicheko)

Our fight lasted less than two minutes,

Mapigano yetu yalichukua si zaidi ya dakika mbili,

but it was a perfect reflection of the hurricane

lakini ilikuwa ni taswira murua ya kimbunga

that was building inside of me

kilichokuwa kikijijenga ndani mwangu

as a young survivor of sexual assault

nikiwa kama muhanga wa unyanyasaji wa kingono

and as a girl who was grappling with abandonment

na kama msichana ambaye nilikuwa nikipambana na kutelekezwa

and exposure to violence in other spaces in my life.

na kuwepo katika vurugu katika nafasi nyingine ya maisha yangu.

I was fighting him,

Nilikuwa napigana nae,

but I was also fighting the men and boys that had assaulted my body

lakini pia nilikuwa napigana na wanaume na wavulana ambao walinyanyasa mwili wangu

and the culture that told me I had to be silent about it.

na utamaduni ulioniambia nilitakiwa kuwa kimya kuhusu hili.

A teacher broke up the fight

Mwalimu aliamua mapigano

and my principal called me in her office.

na mkuu wa shule aliniita ofisini mwake.

But she didn't say, "Monique, what's wrong with you?"

Lakini hakusema, "Monique, una tatizo gani?"

She gave me a moment to collect my breath

Alinipa wasaa wa kukusanya pumzi yangu

and asked, "What happened?"

na kuuliza, "Kipi kimetokea?"

The educators working with me led with empathy.

Wakufunzi wangu waliongoza kwa huruma.

They knew me.

Walinifahamu.

They knew I loved to read, they knew I loved to draw,

Na walitambua nilipenda kusoma, walijua nilipenda kuchora,

they knew I adored Prince.

walijua nilimpenda Prince.

And they used that information to help me understand

Na walitumia taarifa hizo kunisaidia kuelewa

why my actions, and those of my classmate, were disruptive

kwanini matendo yangu, na ya mwanafunzi mwenzangu

to the learning community they were leading.

hayakuwa mazuri katika shule wanayoiongoza.

They didn't place me on suspension;

Hawakunipa adhabu ya kukaa nyumbani;

they didn't call the police.

hawakuita polisi.

My fight didn't keep me from going to school the next day.

Ugomvi wangu haukunizuia mimi kwenda shuleni siku iliyofuatia.

It didn't keep me from graduating; it didn't keep me from teaching.

Haikunizuia mimi kumaliza masomo; Haikunizuia mimi kufundisha.

But unfortunately, that's not a story that's shared by many black girls

Lakini kwa bahati mbaya, hiyo si hadithi ambayo inasemwa na mabinti wengi weusi

in the US and around the world today.

nchini Marekani na duniani kote leo hii.

We're living through a crisis in which black girls

Tunaishi katika janga ambalo wasichana weusi

are being disproportionately pushed away from schools ---

wanasukumwa mbali na shule ---

not because of an imminent threat they pose to the safety of a school,

siyo kutokana na hatari wanayoweza kusababisha shuleni,

but because they're often experiencing schools

lakini kwa sababu wamezoea kuona shule

as locations for punishment and marginalization.

kama maeneo ya adhabu na unyanyapaa.

That's something that I hear from black girls around the country.

Hicho ndicho kitu ninachosikia kutoka kwa wasichana weusi duniani kote.

But it's not insurmountable.

Lakini si kwamba hakizuiliki.

We can shift this narrative.

Tunaweza badili hadithi hii.

Let's start with some data.

Tuanze na taarifa.

According to a National Black Women's Justice Institute analysis

Kutokana na utafiti wa Taasisi ya Taifa ya Haki za Wanawake Weusi

of civil rights data

Ihusuyo haki za binadamu

collected by the US Department of Education,

uliokusanywa na Kitengo cha Elimu,

black girls are the only group of girls who are overrepresented

wasichana weusi ni kundi pekee la wasichana ambalo huwakilishwa maradufu

along the entire continuum of discipline in schools.

sambamba na mwendelezo mzima wa adhabu mashuleni.

That doesn't mean that other girls aren't experiencing exclusionary discipline

Haimaanishi kwamba wasichana wengine hawakumbani na adhabu

and it doesn't mean that other girls aren't overrepresented

na haimaanishi kwamba wasichana wengine hawawakilishwi maradufu

at other parts along that continuum.

katika mambo mengine sambamba na huo mwendelezo.

But black girls are the only group of girls

Lakini wasichana weusi ni kundi pekee la wasichana

who are overrepresented all along the way.

ambalo huwakilishwa maradufu katika nyanja nzima.

Black girls are seven times more likely than their white counterparts

Wasichana weusi hukumbana na hilo mara saba zaidi kuliko wasichana wenzao weupe

to experience one or more out-of-school suspensions

kupatwa na kufukuzwa shule kwa muda mara moja au zaidi

and they're nearly three times more likely than their white and Latinx counterparts

na wapo karibuni mara tatu zaidi kuliko wenzao ambao ni weupe au Walatina

to be referred to the juvenile court.

kupelekwa mahakama za watoto.

A recent study by the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality

Tafiti ya hivi karibuni iliyofanywa na Kituo Cha Georgetown kinachoshughulika na Umasikini na Ukosefu wa Usawa

partially explained why this disparity is taking place

Walichambua kwa juu juu kwanini ukosefu wa usawa unatokea

when they confirmed that black girls experience

ambapo waliafiki kwamba wasichana weusi wanakumbana

a specific type of age compression,

na namna fulani ya mminyo wa umri,

where they're seen as more adult-like than their white peers.

ambapo wanaonekana kama watu wazima kuliko wenzao ambao ni weupe.

Among other things, the study found

Ukijumuisha na mambo mengine, walitambua kwamba

that people perceive black girls to need less nurturing,

watu wanawachukulia wasichana weusi kwamba wanahitaji malezi kidogo,

less protection, to know more about sex

ulinzi duni, kujua zaidi kuhusu ngono

and to be more independent than their white peers.

na kujitegemea zaidi kuliko wenzao ambao ni weupe.

The study also found

Utafiti ulionyesha

that the perception disparity begins when girls are as young as five years old.

kwamba ukosefu wa usawa wa mtazamo huanza pale wasichana wanapokuwa wadogo katika miaka mitano.

And that this perception and the disparity increases over time

Na kwamba huu mtazamo unongezeka kadiri muda unavyokwenda

and peaks when girls are between the ages of 10 and 14.

na hufika juu zaidi pale wasichana wanapokuwa na umri wa katika ya miaka 10 na 14.

This is not without consequence.

Hii huja na madhara.

Believing that a girl is older than she is can lead to harsher treatment,

Kuamini kwamba msichana ni mkubwa zaidi ya umri wake huleta namna ya matunzo yenye akili,

immediate censure when she makes a mistake

hatua kali anapofanya kosa

and victim blaming when she's harmed.

na kumlaumu pale anapopatwa na janga.

It can also lead a girl to think that something is wrong with her,

Na inaweza pelekea msichana kuona kwamba kuna kitu hakipo sawa kwake,

rather than the conditions in which she finds herself.

ukiachana na mazingira ambayo anajikuta.

Black girls are routinely seen as too loud, too aggressive,

Wasichana kwa kawaida huonekana wana kelele, wenye vurugu,

too angry, too visible.

wenye hasira, wanaoonekana sana.

Qualities that are often measured in relation to nonblack girls

Vipengele vya ubora ambavyo kwa kawaida hupimwa ukilinganisha na wale wasio weusi

and which don't take into consideration what's going on in this girl's life

na ambavyo havijali yanayotokea katika maisha ya msichana huyu

or her cultural norms.

au utamaduni wake.

And it's not just in the US.

Na siyo tu Marekani.

In South Africa,

Afrika Kusini,

black girls at the Pretoria Girls High School

wasichana katika shule ya Sekondari ya Pretoria

were discouraged from attending school with their hair in its natural state,

walikatzwa kwenda shuleni wakiwa na nywele za asili,

without chemical processing.

bila kuziweka kemikali.

What did those girls do?

Wasichana hao walifanya nini?

They protested.

Walipinga.

And it was a beautiful thing to see the global community for the most part

Na ilikuwa kitu cha kuvutia kuona ulimwengu katika kiasi kikubwa

wrap its arms around girls as they stood in their truths.

ikiwakumbatia wasichana pale waliposimama katika ukweli wao.

But there were those who saw them as disruptive,

Lakini kuna wale waliowaona kama wavuruga amani,

largely because they dared to ask the question,

kwa sababu walithubutu kuuliza swali,

"Where can we be black if we can't be black in Africa?"

"Ni wapi ambapo tutakuwa weusi kama hatuwezi kuwa weusi Africa?"

(Laughter)

(Kicheko)

(Applause)

(Makofi)

It's a good question.

Ni swali zuri.

Around the world,

Duniani kote,

black girls are grappling with this question.

wasichana weusi wanapambana na swali hili.

And around the world,

Na duniani kote,

black girls are struggling to be seen, working to be free

wasichana wanapambana kuonekana, wanahangaika kuwa huru

and fighting to be included

na wanapambana kujumuishwa

in the landscape of promise that a safe space to learn provides.

katika mazingira ya ahadi kwamba nafasi salama ya kujifunza inapotolewa,

In the US, little girls, just past their toddler years,

Nchini Marekani, wasichana wadogo, wanapopita miaka ya kuwa wachanga,

are being arrested in classrooms for having a tantrum.

wanakamatwa darasani kwa kuwa na ghadhabu.

Middle school girls are being turned away from school

Wasichana wa shule za sekondari wanafukuzwa shuleni

because of the way they wear their hair naturally

kwa sababu ya namna ambavyo huweka nywele zao katika uhalisia

or because of the way the clothes fit their bodies.

au kwa sababu ya namna nguo zinavyobana miili yao.

High school girls are experiencing violence

Wasichana wa sekondari hukumbana na vurugu

at the hands of police officers in schools.

katika mikono ya askari wakiwa shuleni.

Where can black girls be black without reprimand or punishment?

Wapi ambapo wasichana weusi watakuwa weusi bila kugombezwa au adhabu?

And it's not just these incidents.

Na siyo tu matukio haya.

In my work as a researcher and educator,

Katika kazi yangu nikiwa kama mtafiti na mwalimu,

I've had an opportunity to work with girls like Stacy,

Nilipata nafasi ya kufanya kazi na wasichana kama Stacy,

a girl who I profile in my book "Pushout,"

msichana ambaye nimemtaja katika kitabu changu cha "Pushout,"

who struggles with her participation in violence.

ambaye anapambana na ujumuikaji wake katika vurugu.

She bypasses the neuroscientific and structural analyses

Anakwepa uchambuzi wa sayansi ya nuroni

that science has to offer

ambayo sayansi inaelezea

about how her adverse childhood experiences inform

kuhusu namna gani utoto wake wenye matatizo unaainisha

why she's participating in violence

kwanini anashiriki katika ugomvi

and goes straight to describing herself as a "problem child,"

na kwenda moja kwa moja kujielezea kama "mtoto mwenye matatizo,"

largely because that's the language that educators were using

kikubwa ni kwa sababu hiyo ndiyo lugha ambayo wakufunzi walitumia

as they routinely suspended her.

pale kila wakati walipokuwa wakimtoa shuleni.

But here's the thing.

Lakini jambo ni hili.

Disconnection and the internalization of harm grow stronger in isolation.

Kutengwa na ongezeko la hatari hukua zaidi katika upweke.

So when girls get in trouble, we shouldn't be pushing them away,

Kwa hiyo wasichana wanapokuwa katika hatari, haitakiwi kuwatenga mbali,

we should be bringing them in closer.

tunatakiwa kuwaleta karibu nasi.

Education is a critical protective factor

Elimu ni jambo muhimu linaloleta usalama

against contact with the criminal legal system.

dhidi ya mfumo wa kuzuia uhalifu.

So we should be building out policies and practices

Kwa hiyo inatakiwa kuunda sera zetu na hatua

that keep girls connected to their learning,

zinazowafanya wasichana kuunganika na kujifunza kwao,

rather than pushing them away from it.

kuliko kuwasukuma mbali na mfumo huo.

It's one of the reasons I like to say that education is freedom work.

Ni moja ya sababu ambayo nitapenda kusema kwamba elimu ni kazi ya uhuru.

When girls feel safe, they can learn.

Pale wasichana wanahisi wapo salama, wanaweza kujifunza.

When they don't feel safe, they fight,

Wanapohisi hawapo salama, wanapigana,

they protest, they argue, they flee, they freeze.

wanapinga, wanabishana, wanakimbia,hawaendelei mbele.

The human brain is wired to protect us when we feel a threat.

Ubongo wa mwanadamu umetengenezwa kutulinda pale tunapohisi hatari.

And so long as school feels like a threat,

Na inapokuwa kwamba shule inaonekana kama ni hatari,

or part of the tapestry of harm in a girl's life,

au sehemu inayokandamiza maisha ya msichana,

she'll be inclined to resist.

lazima atachukua hatua kupambana.

But when schools become locations for healing,

Lakini pale shule inapokuwa sehemu ya uponyaji,

they can also become locations for learning.

pia inaweza kuwa sehemu ya kujifunza.

So what does this mean for a school to become a location for healing?

Ina maana gani shule kuwa sehemu ya uponyaji?

Well, for one thing, it means that we have to immediately discontinue

inamaanisha kwamba tunatakiwa mara moja kusimamisha

the policies and practices that target black girls for their hairstyles or dress.

sera na hatua ambazo zinalenga wasichana weusi kutokana na mitindo yao ya nywele au mavazi.

(Applause)

(Makofi)

Let's focus on how and what a girl learns

Tuangalie namna gani na kipi msichana anachojifunza

rather than policing her body in ways that facilitate rape culture

kuliko kuweka sera ambazo zinawezesha utamaduni wa ubakaji

or punish children for the conditions in which they were born.

au kuadhibu watoto kulingana na mazingira ambayo wamezaliwa nayo.

This is where parents and the community of concerned adults can enter this work.

Hapa ndipo wazazi na jamii ya wanaohusika wanaweza ingia katika kazi hii.

Start a conversation with the school

Anzisha maongezi na shule

and encourage them to address their dress code

na wape ushauri katika kuweka mifumo ya uvaaji

and other conduct-related policies as a collaborative project,

na taratibu nyingine ziwe ni hatua za kujadili kwa pamoja,

with parents and students,

na wazazi na wanafunzi,

so as to intentionally avoid bias and discrimination.

ili kwa makusudi kuepukana na unyanyapaa.

Keep in mind, though,

Kumbuka, ingawa,

that some of the practices that harm black girls most are unwritten.

kwamba mambo mengi ambayo huumiza wasichana weusi hayapo katika maandishi.

So we have to continue to do the deep, internal work to address the biases

Kwa hiyo tunatakiwa kwenda ndani zaidi, kazi ya kina ya kuongelea unyanyapaa

that inform how, when and whether we see black girls for who they actually are,

ambao unaelezea namna, wakati gani na vile tunavyowaona wasichana weusi walivyo,

or what we've been told they are.

au kipi walichoambiwa kuhusu walivyo.

Volunteer at a school

Jitolee katika shule

and establish culturally competent and gender responsive discussion groups

na anzisha majadiliano ya utamaduni na jinsia

with black girls, Latinas, indigenous girls

na wasichana weusi au walatino.

and other students who experience marginalization in schools

na wanafunzi wengi wanaokumbana na kutengwa mashuleni

to give them a safe space

kuwapa nafasi salama

to process their identities and experiences in schools.

ya kuchambua utambuzi wao na wanavyoishi mashuleni.

And if schools are to become locations for healing,

Na kama shule itakuwa ni sehemu ya uponyaji,

we have to remove police officers

tunatakiwa kuondoa maafisa wa polisi

and increase the number of counselors in schools.

na kuongeza washauri mashuleni.

(Applause)

(Kicheko)

Education is freedom work.

Elimu ni kazi ya kupigania uhuru.

And whatever our point of entry is, we all have to be freedom fighters.

Na vyovyote vile hoja yetu ilivyo, wote tunatakiwa kuwa wapigania uhuru.

The good news is that there are schools

Habari njema ni kwamba kuna shule

that are actively working to establish themselves

ambazo zinafanya kazi kujiimarisha

as locations for girls to see themselves as sacred and loved.

kama sehemu ya wasichana kujiona kuwa ni wa thamani na wanaopendwa.

The Columbus City Prep School for Girls in Columbus, Ohio, is an example of this.

Shule ya Jiji la Columbus ya wasichana iliyopo Columbus, Ohio ni mfano wa hili.

They became an example the moment their principal declared

Wamekuwa mfano pale ambapo mkuu wao shule alitangaza

that they were no longer going to punish girls for having "a bad attitude."

kwamba hawatoendelea kuwaadhibu wasichana kwa kuwa na "tabia mbaya."

In addition to building --

Katika nyongeza ya kujenga --

Essentially, what they did is they built out a robust continuum

Kwa umuhimu, walichofanya ni njia za

of alternatives to suspension, expulsion and arrest.

mbadala za kusimamishwa au kufukuzwa shuleni au kukamatwa na polisi.

In addition to establishing a restorative justice program,

Katika kuanzisha mfumo wa kurudisha haki,

they improved their student and teacher relationships

waliboresha mahusiano kati ya wanafunzi na walimu

by ensuring that every girl has at least one adult on campus

kwa kuhakikisha kwamba kila msichana anakuwa na angalau mtu mzima mmoja shuleni

that she can go to when she's in a moment of crisis.

ambaye anaweza kumfuata pale anapokuwa katika tatizo.

They built out spaces along the corridors of the school and in classrooms

Wamejenga nafasi katika korido za shule na madarasani

for girls to regroup, if they need a minute to do so.

kwa ajili ya wasichana kukutana

And they established an advisory program that provides girls with an opportunity

Na wameanzisha programu ya ushauri ambayo inasaidia wasichana na nafasi

to start every single day with the promotion of self-worth,

kuanza kila siku wakiamini thamani yao binafsi,

stadi ya kuwasiliana na namna ya kuweka malengo yao.

communication skills and goal setting.

Katika shule hii,

At this school,

wanajaribu kuelewa utoto ulio na majanga wa msichana husika

they're trying to respond to a girl's adverse childhood experiences

badala ya kuwakataa.

rather than ignore them.

Wanawaleta karibu; hawawatengi.

They bring them in closer; they don't push them away.

Na matokeo yake, kiasi cha adhabu na kufukuzwa shule kimepungua,

And as a result, their truancy and suspension rates have improved,

na wasichana wanafika shuleni wakiwa na utayari wa kujifunza

and girls are arriving at school increasingly ready to learn

kwa sababu wanatambua walimu wanawajali.

because they know the teachers there care about them.

Hiyo ina maana.

That matters.

Shule ambazo zinajumuisha sanaa na michezo katika mtaala wao

Schools that integrate the arts and sports into their curriculum

au wanajenga utaratibu wa kuleta mabadiliko,

or that are building out tranformative programming,

kama vile kuleta upya haki, kuwaza sahihi na utulivu wa akili,

such as restorative justice, mindfulness and meditation,

hutoa nafasi kwa wasichana kurekebisha mahusiano yao na wengine,

are providing an opportunity for girls to repair their relationships with others,

lakini pia kwa wao binafsi.

but also with themselves.

Kuweza kupambana na maisha tata ya nyuma

Responding to the lived, complex and historical trauma

ambayo wanafunzi wetu wamepitia

that our students face

huhitaji wote sisi kuamini katika ahadi ya watoto na vijana

requires all of us who believe in the promise of children and adolescents

kujenga mahusiano, nyenzo za kujifunza,

to build relationships, learning materials,

rasilimali watu na fedha na nyenzo nyinginezo

human and financial resources and other tools

ambazo zinawapa watoto nafasi ya kupona, ili kwamba waweze kujifunza.

that provide children with an opportunity to heal, so that they can learn.

Shule zetu zinatakiwa kuwa sehemu ambazo tunajali wasichana wetu waliopo katika hatari

Our schools should be places where we respond to our most vulnerable girls

kama muhimu katika kutengeneza utamaduni chanya wa shule.

as essential to the creation of a positive school culture.

Uwezo wetu wa kuona ahadi zake unatakiwa kuwa bora zaidi

Our ability to see her promise should be at its sharpest

pale anapotupwa katika umasikini na uraibu;

when she's in the throws of poverty and addiction;

pale anapoumizwa kwa kutumiwa kingono

when she's reeling from having been sex-trafficked

au anapotoka katika namna nyingine za vurugu;

or survived other forms of violence;

anapokuwa katika sauti yake kuu,

when she's at her loudest,

au katika ukimya kabisa.

or her quietest.

Tunatakiwa kumsaidia kielimu

We should be able to support her intellectual

na kihisia pia

and social-emotional well-being

haijalishi kaptula yake ipo magotini au katikati ya mapaja au juu zaidi.

whether her shorts reach her knees or stop mid-thigh or higher.

Inaonekana kama amri kuu katika dunia

It might seem like a tall order in a world

ikiwa imechimbiwa chini zaidi kwenye siasa za uoga

so deeply entrenched in the politics of fear

kutazama shule kama sehemu ambazo wasichana wanaweza pona na kufanikiwa,

to radically imagine schools as locations where girls can heal and thrive,

lakini inatakiwa tuwe imara zaidi vya kutosha kuweka hili kama lengo letu.

but we have to be bold enough to set this as our intention.

Kama tutaweza fanya katika mtazamo huu wa elimu ikiwa kama kazi ya uhuru,

If we commit to this notion of education as freedom work,

tunaweza badili mazingira ya elimu

we can shift educational conditions

ili kwamba kusiwe na msichana, hata yule aliye katika hatari kubwa kati yetu,

so that no girl, even the most vulnerable among us,

ambaye atafukuzwa shuleni.

will get pushed out of school.

Na hii maana yake ni ushindi kwetu sote.

And that's a win for all of us.

Asante.

Thank you.

(Makofi)

(Applause)