#Child Q Is What Happens When Black Girls Are Robbed Of Their Youth

[reasoningdaily]

This week, a report published by Hackney Council revealed that in 2020 a 15-year-old Black girl at a Hackney secondary school was strip-searched while on her period, over unfounded suspicions she was in possession of cannabis. The young girl was made to bend over naked, spread her legs and use her hands to spread her buttocks while coughing — this was done on the basis she “smelt of cannabis.” Two female police officers were present during the search, with teachers standing outside the room. The girl’s mother was not notified by the school in advance, and was informed of the incident by her daughter. Three Metropolitan police officers are under investigation as a result, and the report has stated categorically that the search was “insufficiently attuned to her best interests or right to privacy” and that racism “was likely to have been an influencing factor” in choosing to involve the police.    

The details of this case are disturbing and horrific. Whilst global conversations were sparked that same year following the brutal murder of George Floyd by a police officer in the U.S., it’s clear that the violence of the state, particularly the criminal justice system continues to plague Black communities, including young Black girls here in the UK. 

The now outgoing Commissioner of the Met Police Cressida Dick stated the Met is not institutionally racist, despite a slew of racist incidents involving police officers. This was exacerbated further by The Sewell Report commissioned by the government and published a year ago, which claimed that institutional racism in Britain did not exist. 

The state violence against Black women, especially Black girls can often be forgotten in conversations around institutional racism and police brutality. Blackness is hypermasculinsed, impacting not only Black boys but Black girls as well, who are also perceived as a threat. Black girls are unfairly robbed of their innocence and treated harshly, in what is referred to as “adultification”. The choice by the school, in the case of Child Q, to involve the criminal justice system so quickly reflects how willing many are to view Black girls as inherently criminal, resorting to police intervention rather than safeguarding solutions. The lack of aftercare, following what some, including equality campaigner Patrick Vernon, have deemed “state rape”, suggests a toughness and resilience expected of Black girls which is completely illogical.       

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“Had Child Q been a middle class white girl going to a grammar school, it’s much more likely she would have been afforded innocence.”

cHLOE Cousins, KIDS OF COLOUR

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Contrary to this, the harrowing impact on Child Q is made stark in the report. She stated: “I can't go a single day without wanting to scream, shout, cry or just give up...I feel like I'm locked in a box, and no one can see or cares that I just want to go back to feeling safe again…I don’t know if I’m going to feel normal again.” Her mother also added Child Q “is a changed person. She is not eating, every time I find her, she is in the bath, full of water and sleeping in the bath. Not communicating with us as (she) used to, doesn’t want to leave her room, panic attacks at school, doesn't want to be on the road, screams when sees/hears the police, and we need to reassure her”. 

Fola is a Black female primary school teacher in Ilford. She felt disgusted about the incident and tells Unbothered, “I don’t think what they [the police] did was justified. Because they thought she smelt of cannabis does not seem like a justifiable reason to strip search a child…I can’t imagine any safeguarding saying that was acceptable. School is generally where they are supposed to feel safe. We’re supposed to foster an element of care and safety.” Research from the U.S. shows strip searching children can cause anxiety, depression, loss of concentration, sleep disturbances, difficulty performing in school, phobic reactions, shame, guilt, depression, and other lasting emotional scars. These negative consequences can last for years.

I also spoke to Chloe Cousins, a Youth Worker and Development Officer from Kids of Colour, a community interest company highlighting the diverse experiences belonging to young people of colour. The organisation is also currently spearheading the campaign “No Police In Schools” in Manchester. Cousins states the police being called was unnecessary, and that “teachers should be more than equipped to deal with these issues”. She explained that lack of funding is a significant factor in why some schools are relying on policing to solve what are primarily social and safeguarding issues. “Because schools are under-resourced and overstretched, it can lead to dangerous decisions being made. If there were more youth workers, counsellors and therapists, issues like this could be managed in a child-centred way, and more easily managed within school.”  

Cousins makes it clear that the police are in no way equipped to deal with these issues, particularly with young people. “If a school needs to call the police over an issue like this, it suggests the school is ill-prepared to deal with incidents… and calling the police on a Black young person is itself a safeguarding issue as we know the police disproportionately criminalise Black people.” Whilst many Black parents will be sceptical of how well their children are treated in any aspect of the state, it’s particularly heartbreaking to find that schools, who should be a place of safety and care, can so easily defer to or become a conduit to one of the most oppressive arms of the state for young Black people. The school-to-prison pipeline, often referred to in the US, is frighteningly real here in the UK too.

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Perhaps this is a moment to participate in action to create change in our communities.

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It’s also important to recognise that these issues Black girls face are compounded by class. Though all Black girls face racism, it will be working class Black girls like Child Q who most regularly face the harshest racism from the state. Working class areas in general tend to be overpoliced, and as Cousins points out: “it’s inequality at every level.” “Police in schools are most likely going to impact young Black people, people of colour, working class young people, and those from Gypsy/Roma Traveller backgrounds,” she says.  “Had Child Q been a middle class white girl going to a grammar school, it’s much more likely she would have been afforded innocence.” What might be viewed as potentially a silly mistake or sign of exploitation in other demographics, for working class Black girls is a criminal matter where the fullest force of the law is used. 

So what are the solutions? This case has disgusted and angered many of us; so far all that has been offered in an apology from the police, but perhaps this is a moment to participate in action to create change in our communities. School teacher Fola suggested to me that the school’s policy may need to be redressed, and perhaps that’s something more all schools need to consider. The campaign “No Police in Schools” has a petition, resources to contact local politicians and upcoming protests for those concerned about the expansion of policing into educational spaces within the Greater Manchester Area. There is also campaigning work and protests calling for no police in schools, being organised by Hackney Copwatch on March 18 in Stoke Newington, London. 

We also need to be asking ourselves whether within our local communities, we want money to be spent on better resources for schools, with trained professionals who can support vulnerable young people, rather than pouring more money into a policing institution that has shown us time and time again, does not care for young black lives, or indeed many other communities. Child Q has gone through immeasurable damage and she’s made it adamant that “I need to know that the people who have done this to me can't do it to anyone else ever again. In fact so NO ONE else can do this to any other child in their care”. Young Black girls are telling us there is no place for policing in schools; it’s time we listened. 

[alystayr]

Playlist musicale 2019 (2/2)

Liste des chansons (playlist 2019 - part. 2)

Mise à jour : 31 décembre 2019

playlist 2019 (part.2), playlist 2019 (part. 1)

playlist 2018 (part. 2), playlist 2018 (part. 1)

playlist 2017 (part. 2), playlist 2017 (part. 1)

playlist 2016 (part. 2), playlist 2016 (part. 1)

playlist 2015

0-9 #

16 Horsepower - American Wheeze (1996)

A

AaRON - Blouson Noir (2015)

Abd Al Malik - Le jeune noir à l’épée (2019)

The Afghan Whigs - Algiers (2014)

Air - Alpha Beta Gaga (2004-2016)

Alabama Shakes - Don’t Wanna Fight (2015)

Alice In Chains -  Rainier Fog (2018)

Angels of Light - Dawn (2005)

Aphrodite’s Child - Rain and tears (1968)

Archive - Erase (2019)

Louis Armstrong - St. James Infirmary (1928)

B

The B52's - Planet Claire (1979)

The Beatles - All You Need Is Love (1967)

Beck - Saw Lightning (2019)

Belle and Sebastian - Sister Buddha (2019)

Bénabar - Y'a une fille qu'habite chez moi (2001)

The Beta Band - Dry The Rain (1997)

Björk - Declare Independence (2008)

The Black Keys - Go (2019)

Blue Oyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper (1976)

Blur - There’s No Other Way (1991)

Joe Bonamassa - Lonesome Christmas (2016)

David Bowie - When I'm Five (1967)

Georges Brassens - Les copains d'abord (1964)

Jacques Brel - Mathilde (1963)

John Butler Trio - Bully (2017)

C

Cage The Elephant - Shake Me Down (2011)

Calexico - The Ballad of Cable Hogue (2000)

Calogero - En Apesanteur (2002)

Captain Kid - We & I (2012)

Johnny Cash (cover Nine Inch Nails) - Hurt (2002/1994)

Chloé - One in other (2010)

The Clash - White Riot (1977)

Johnny Clegg & Savuka - Asimbonanga (1987)

Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues (1958)

Cocoon - Back To One (2019)

Cold War Kids - Passing the Hat (2006)

Chris Cornell - Seasons (from Singles) (1992)

Cypress Hill (feat. Chino Moreno and Everlast) - (Rock) Superstar (2000)

D

Dead Kennedys - Kill The Poor (1980)

Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence (1990)

dEUS - Instant Street (1999)

Dolly - Comment taire (2002)

The Doors - Love Street (1968)

Dr. John - Right Place Wrong Time (1973)

Bob Dylan - Hurricane (1975)

E

Eels - You Are The Shining Light (2018)

Eiffel - Cascade (2019)

Lisa Ekdahl (cover Betty Hutton) - It's Oh So Quiet (1997/1951)

Eminem - Venom (2018)

Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again (1983)

F

Mylène Farmer - Des larmes (2018)

Les Fatals Picards - La Sécurité de l'Emploi (2007)

Fine Young Cannibals - Johnny Come Home (1985)

Florence + the Machine - Jenny of Oldstones (from Game of Thrones) (2019)

Foals - What Went Down (2015)

Foo Fighters - Best Of You (2005)

Foster The People - Pumped up Kicks (2011)

Future Islands - Fall From Grace (2014)

G

Peter Gabriel - Shock The Monkey (1982)

Liam Gallagher - One Of Us (2019)

Jean-Jacques Goldman - Je marche seul (1985)

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Gun To The Head (2019)

Kim Gordon - Sketch Artist (2019)

Gossip - Standing In the Way of Control (2006)

Gravenhurst - The Collector (2007)

Juliette Gréco (cover Léo Ferré) - Jolie Môme (1961)

Grinderman - Man In The Moon (2007)

H

Nina Hagen - African Reggae (1979)

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite - The Bottle Wins Again (2018)

PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me (1993)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze (1967)

Kristin Hersh - The Cuckoo (1994)

Jacques Higelin - Paris-New York, New York-Paris (1974)

I

Interpol - The Weekend (2019)

Iron Maiden - Flight of Icarus (1983/2019)

Izia - Hey Bitch (2009)

J

Julia Jacklin (cover The Strokes) - Someday (2019/2001)

JAY-Z - Marcy Me (2017)

Joy Division - New Dawn Fades (1979)

Judas Priest - Breaking The Law (1980)

K

Kaiser Chiefs - Don't Just Stand There, Do Something (2019)

Kings of Leon - Family Tree (2013)

Mark Knopfler - Redbud Tree (2012)

L

Mark Lanegan Band - Stitch It Up (2019)

Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1983)

Bernard Lavilliers & Catherine Ringer - Idées Noires (1983-2014)

Led Zeppelin - No Quarter (1973)

The Lemonheads - Alison’s Starting To Happen (1992)

Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit (2003)

Little Eva - The Loco-Motion (1962)

Luke - Hasta Siempre (2004)

M

Scott McKenzie - San Francisco (1967)

Marcela Mangabeira (cover Michael Jackson) - Human Nature (2008/1982)

Loreena McKennitt - The Lady of Shalott (1991)

Marilyn Manson - God’s Gonna Cut You Down (2019)

Marilyn Manson (cover The Doors) - The End (1967-2019)

Massive Attack - Protection (1994)

Metallica - Seek and Destroy (1983)

Midnight Oil - Forgotten Years (1990)

Eddy Mitchell - Sur la route de Memphis (1976)

Modest Mouse - Lampshades on Fire (2015)

Gary Moore - The Loner (1987)

Moriarty - Isabella (2011)

Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy (1955)

N

The National - Hey Rosey (2019)

Nirvana - Come As You Are (1992)

Nirvana - Negative Creep (1991)

Noir Désir - Bouquet de nerfs (2001)

O

Les Ogres de Barback - Si tu restes (2019)

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (1973)

OrelSan - Dis moi (2018)

P

Vanessa Paradis - Ces mots simples (2018)

Charles Pasi - A Man I Know (2014)

Pearl Jam - Jeremy (1991)

Pink Floyd - Money (1973)

Pixies - Hey (1989)

Placebo - Battle For The Sun (2009)

Iggy Pop - Run Like A Villain (1982)

Portishead - Misterons (1994)

The Pretenders - Middle of the Road (1984)

Q

Queens Of The Stone Age - Regular John (1998)

R

The Raconteurs - Help Me Stranger (2019)

Radiohead - Street Spirit (Fade Out) (1995)

Ram Jam - Black Betty (1977)

Red Hot Chili Pepper - Under The Bridge (1991)

Renaud - Fatigué (1985)

Calvin Russell - Soldier (1992/2011)

S

Saez - Germaine (2019)

Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Constipation Blues (1969)

Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You (1992)

Seasick Steve - Hobo Low (2006)

Shaka Ponk - My Name Is Stain (2011)

William Sheller - Maintenant Tout Le Temps (1994)

Alan Silvestri - Retour vers le Futur (from Back to the Future) (1985)

Simon & Garfunkle - El Condor Pasa (1970)

Slaves - The Velvet Ditch (2019)

Smoke City - Underwater Love (1997)

Sonic Youth - Bull In The Heather (1994)

Joss Stone (cover The Dells) - The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind) (2012)

Alain Souchon - Presque (2019)

Soundgarden - The Day I Tried To Live (1994)

Supertramp - Give A Little Bit (1977)

T

Taj Mahal - Ain't That A Lot Of Love (1968)

Tame Impala - Patience (2019)

Tarmac - Tu semblante (2001)

Taxi Girl -   Cherchez le Garçon (1980)

Tindersticks - For The Beauty (2019)

Tool - Fear Inoculum (2019)

Tricky (feat. Marta) - Makes Me Wonder (2019)

The Twilight Singers - King Only (2000)

U

U2 - Mysterious Ways (1991)

U2 - Pride (In The Name Of Love) (1984)

Ugly Kid Joe - Cats In The Cradle (1992)

UNKLE - The Lost Highway (2019)

V

Volbeat - Still Counting (2008)

W

Tom Waits - I hope I don’t fall in love with you (1973)

Les Wampas - Ce Soir C'est Noël (1990)

Les Wampas - Chirac En Prison (2003)

The War on Drugs - Pain (2017)

Emily Jane White - Dark Undercoat (2007)

Jim White - Bluebird (2004)

The Who - Behind Blue Eyes (1971)

Wilco - Everyone Hides (2019)

John Williams - Star Wars Main Theme (1977)

Shannon Wright - These Present Arms (2019)

X

Y

Yodelice - Wake Me Up (2010)

Thom Yorke - Not The News (2019)

Z

Zebda - Le Bruit Et L'Odeur (1995)

Rob Zombie - Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Supertown (2013)