In the video he says "pick yourself up by the bootstraps! but what if I wasn't born with straps on my boots? what am I supposed to pick myself up with then?" I think that this is important to emphasize, because we often overlook the fact that equality and equity are two different things, with 2 different goals. It reminded me that I get to take this class and learn about these things BECAUSE i had boot straps, but so many others never got the chance because they didn't have straps. #so345

I was really glad to see the negative implications that the author left about zero tolerance policies. So many schools have adopted them, without ever considering that with improvement of students, giving them the best chances they can get, and getting them to where they want to be NEEDS tolerance. I was given tolerance throughout my education career, and I cannot imagine how different my life would look if I was given 0. #so345

3/40 found long term, meaningful connections. 0.075% of the group. I hear a lot in the media about the behavior exhibited in areas like these boys grew up in, how they do not want to get out of that cycle, how they commit crimes and are just delinquents. I never hear about how society has failed them over and over again, and continuously blaming and expecting them to fix a system they 1)did not make and 2)are reoccurring victims to. to get better we have to want better, and we are failing#so345

Page 162 says, "...stumbled on resources, such as people who believed in me, academic and cultural programs..." I think that him listing people who believed in him not only as a resource, but FIRST in his list of gratitude, says a lot. So many of those boys did not have that, and I think that it needs to be talked about more that those who lack support or anyone who believes in them will feel the repercussions later in their life, in multiple areas. #so345

From any angle you look at this, these boys had no chance. If they got good grades and stayed out of trouble, they were still labeled as deviant and treated like a criminal in school with no adults in their corner. If they did not cause an issue with police when stopped, they were judged by other kids for what they interpreted as "working with the police." Of course some of the good kids morphed into who was around them, because at least then they would have some form of support. #so345

Ms.Lawrence's comment about how if we all were to break the smallest of rules, there would be crime everywhere..... we all do break the smallest of rules. speeding, parking violations, the list goes on. and there is crime everywhere. the difference isnt that those not on probo are following the law, it is just that certain groups of people often get punished for small crimes, while others get away with it. #so345

I think that its interesting that POC struggle to find jobs, but then are punished for the ways they are essentially forced into making money. job = money = food/water/clothing/shelter. these are the basic needs of human life, and if they cant find jobs, what are they expected to do? POC are forced into these underground jobs and then punished for a decision that they needed to make to keep themselves alive. #so345

Julio was acting like he used drugs to appear "crazy" around those in the school that he was forced to attend, as he was labeled deviant. I just have to wonder how many kids the system has failed by labeling them, & they have to change their behaviors to survive in the new environment. Julio was headed toward graduation, had a future ahead of him, but instead he was playing the part that the school gave him, a part/label he never asked for/earned, and it would be w/ him forever. #so345

I think that the design of this school that Spider was placed into said a lot about how the system really felt about these kids. A few buildings placed in a way that made a courtyard... the courtyard all concrete, a few basketball hoops.... kind of sounds a lot like prison. For people like Spider, who truly was NOT being deviant habitually, was placed in a place that resembled a correctional institution, and never really gave other kids like him a fighting chance. #so345

The thing that really stuck out to me in this reading was that after getting stabbed a dozen times, with no priors or any history of any type of anything, that kid was labeled as a gang member. I just can't imagine almost dying at the hands of someone else, and leaving the hospital a "gang banger." When this kid was supposed to receive justice, he was instead given a dangerous label by the people meant to protect and serve. #so345