Ladson-Billing’s (2019) lecture explores the power in controlling a narrative and the ability to construct context that does not align with the lived experience of folks on the ground. The story Ladson-Billings (2019) shares about the conversation with the media surrounding the flint water crisis is parallel to the many stories that surround the School to Prison Pipeline (STPPL) and Student mental health. The context that dominants the narratives surrounding the STPPL is a co-opted (neo-liberal) story of “bad schools” and “bad students”. This completely excludes the lived experiences of student interactions with metal detectors (and more) and the effects on student performance and mental health (Dixson, 2017; Ladson-Billings and Tate, 1995; Wilson, 2014). The context to make sense of these facts lies within the everyday experiences of those directly impacted (Ladson-Billings, 2019). Dixson (2017) precedes Dixson and Anderson (2018) and offers some insights to activism in education particularly looking at BLM movements to disrupt systems of oppression within education. The disruptions primarily led by young people help to re-center the narrative not just on the targeting of Black and Brown students but the acts of resistance that follow (Dixson, 2017). The social movements and direct actions were a key part in creating restorative/transformative justice approaches to care in schools (Beauboeuf-Lafontant, 2020; Dixson, 2018; Dixson and Anderson, 2018; Wilsong, 2014; Wilson, 2015). Lastly, a quote from my mother comes to mind “I will tell you who you are once you tell me the company you keep”. This week’s reading list were mostly comprised of authors I am familiar with and sources I have already examined and covered. I feel like I am in good company.
Below are some thoughts/ideas/questions I am marinating on
- How might transformative leadership inform critical care?
- Reflecting on the Oakland community school founded by the BPP
- What roles should social workers play in examining the STPPL?
- Should I provide the full APA citation for sources I am brining into this post that are not listed as required readings for class?
