A note to friends on June 16
I would like to focus on one small element of the murder of George Floyd and its aftermath—particularly as they relate to roles played by police in his killing and in responses to the ensuing demonstrations. I hope I am not repeating what has been shared before.
A colleague recently shared how frustrating she finds it to talk with family members who are police officers: She feels that the police are hostile to black people. Her relatives tell her that black people deserve the harsh treatment. My colleague and her relatives are black. Perhaps they have internalized racist attitudes from the police culture. I think there is another element at play that might explain some police violence.
Most of my work is at a therapeutic school for children with emotional and behavioral problems. At therapeutic schools it sometimes happens that, when a teacher or aide (person in charge) feels confronted by the challenging behavior of a student, the encounter can lead to the people in charge imposing their will on the student in ways that are humiliating and that can result in a child feeling discomfort…. I have seen this with my own eyes, and it can be scary. ProPublica Illinois together with the Chicago Tribune produced an expose entitled “The Quiet Rooms” about this dynamic in therapeutic schools in Illinois.
ProPublica touched on the fact that it is tempting for people-in-charge to begin to see their charges not only as having problems but also as deserving poor treatment.
In my view, the idea that one must control can lead even well-intentioned people to do violent things. I have tried in my own work to liberate myself of this illusion and to focus on student safety and growth. I wonder if police are focused on control. I just saw today (Tu 6/16) that the New York Times identified 98 cities where protesters were tear-gassed! Where the public is exhibiting challenging behavior, the sense that one must control may lead to a siege mentality.
When one feels besieged, one may lash out. (As we know, a grossly disproportionate share of that lashing out by police is directed at black people in many places.)
(June 16 2020)