I’ve been thinking a lot about this idea of defunding the police in a sort of analogy to teachers and the reforms made in education in the past two decades.
As a teacher myself, I understand the frustrations the police must feel with the public and government trying to tell them how to do their jobs. I also get that taking money away feels like it would be detrimental to what these reforms are supposedly trying to do.
On the other hand, teachers have learned to work at a higher standard with less financial support and although this hasn’t been ideal, we’ve toughed it out and good things have come from it. Not to say that other problems haven’t arisen due to these reforms or that the educational system doesn’t need more funds.
In the end, I don’t believe taking money away is the answer. Regardless, reforms in policing must happen. Even some law enforcement officers have stepped up and said this.
In education, when students aren’t succeeding we don’t say, “Well, this generation is just not smart enough to get what we’re teaching. It is what it is.” We reform our curriculum. We get evaluated by the higher-ups and the public. We take educational workshops and better our own teaching. We’re actually required to complete professional development hours every year or we cannot renew our teaching licenses.
Why is this not the same for law enforcement?
At the beginning of last year, we were required to complete a cultural competency workshop, which spoke to systemic racism within education. We were asked to consider our own biases (we all have them) and keep them in check.
Why is this not required of law enforcement?
Even with that workshop, there was a situation in the classroom that happened this year that I’m now kicking myself over. I’m lucky enough to work in a very diverse school. Based on a story we read, the topic of racism came up. I said something like, “Yeah, but things are a lot better now. You don’t come across racism too often anymore.”
A group of my Black students eyed each other, then gave me a look. I said, “What? Do you disagree?”
And they gave me a unanimous “YES.”
I listened and nodded, I didn’t discredit them in any way, but internally I didn’t take it very seriously. Now, with everything going on and me checking in on my own biases, I’m thinking What the hell do I know? Why did I think I knew anything about racism in today’s world?
It’s time we LISTEN to and internalize these stories. If you are white, you have no place to say, “You’re overreacting. Racism is something of the past.” It is not our place to comment on this topic.
It is our place to listen and offer all kinds of support because there are millions of voices rising up and telling us personal example after personal example of racism in this country.
If we truly want to “Make America Great,” we have to be sure everyone feels heard and treated equally. Otherwise, we are making America great for some and miserable for others.
