AS A BLACK FATHER, my concerns for my children are much the same as those of other parents. I want my children to be safe, to be brilliant, to be successful. Most of all, I want them to know they are loved.
But beyond those concerns are the underlying anxieties that come with knowing one’s children could face racial bias—even within the classroom.
When discipline problems arise at school, black parents don’t just have to deal with what happened. We also have to assess the reasons why. Are my children being targeted because they are black? Is the offense a real one, or is it an excuse to discriminate?
Even when our children have clearly broken rules, black parents are often left with a troubling question: Will the school’s punishment be in line with the offense? According to a new Dept. of Education study on preschool suspensions, the answer is increasingly, “No.”
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Featured photo by Tieshka Smith
Solomon Jones is an Essence bestselling author, award-winning columnist, and creator and editor of Solomonjones.com. Click here to learn more about Solomon.
