Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada

Angela Y. Davis Quote: Emphasizes the necessity of this book for those interested in both Canadian history and broader social justice movements, particularly the abolitionist potential of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Superior comparison to carceral spaces, emphasizing how schools contribute to pathologization and criminalization of Black children.
Claim: A significant number of African Canadian students receive an education that is separate and unequal (African Canadian Legal Clinic, 2012).

Incident Date: September 30, 2016.
Location: Mississauga, Ontario.
Details: A six-year-old Black girl weighing 48 pounds was handcuffed at school due to reported violent behavior. Upon arrival, her mother was appalled by the treatment and described it as treating her daughter like a "dog" or "monster."
Police Justification: Sergeant Josh Colley claimed handcuffing was for the safety of the students and the child. No immediate apology was made by school officials.
Legal Action: The family, supported by the African Canadian Legal Clinic, filed complaints against the school and police for anti-Black racism.

Black children are often seen as not truly being children, possessing perceived supernatural and dangerous capabilities due to societal perceptions, which leads to their suffering being largely ignored.
Education as a Social Good: Education is legislated as essential but is riddled with underfunding, under-resourcing, and teacher devaluation, impacting Black students disproportionately.

Schools function as sites of degradation and psychological violence for many Black students.
Black youth experience heightened surveillance, neglect, and extreme punishment for perceived disobedience.

Historical representations of Black childhood have been tied to white supremacy since the late 19th century. The idea of white childhood equating to innocence negates the vulnerability of Black children.
Robin Bernstein's Thesis: Childhood innocence was racially constructed, with Black and Indigenous children historically excluded from this notion.
Illustration: Unlike white children, Black children have not been afforded protections historically associated with innocence, leading to systemic neglect and violence against them.

Black youth often face misperceptions about their innocence and capabilities, leading to significant societal and institutional biases against them.
Studies highlight that perceptions of innocence vary greatly depending on race, with Black youth often stripped of their protective childhood assumptions well before adulthood.
Research Finding: Black children above ten years old are perceived as significantly older and less innocent compared to white peers.

Academic Tracking: Ongoing practices in the education system result in "second-generation segregation," where Black students are often placed in lower educational tracks due to systemic biases and racial stereotypes.
Evidence of streamed placements into programs that affect academic opportunities.

Disproportionate rates of punishment and surveillance practiced on Black youth compared to white peers.
Statistic Example: Black students in Durham, Ontario were nearly eight times more likely to face suspensions compared to their white counterparts.
Race often affects the severity of discipline applied, even for similar offenses.

Concept Explained: Surveillance and punitive measures in schools contribute to later encounters with law enforcement, forming a school-to-prison pipeline.
Canadian Context: The dynamics of disciplinary actions reflect those seen in the United States, with alarming statistics on expulsion rates correlating directly to systemic inequities.

Push-Out Framework: Many Black students disengage from education due to hostile environments; this phenomenon is framed as a push-out rather than a drop-out.
Black youth employ survival strategies to navigate these oppressive school structures, which can include both disengagement and active resistance.
Example Initiatives: Successful programs such as Africentric schools highlight the potential for community-driven educational reform.

Concludes with the call for equitable educational reforms addressing systemic racism and advocating for institutions that nurture rather than punish Black youth. Emphasizes the ongoing battle against institutional neglect and the need for a comprehensive reevaluation of how Black students are treated within the education system.