Ever send your kid to his room to “think about what he’s done” in order to give him time to be alone to reflect, feel remorseful and come out to hug you and tell you he’s sorry and it won’t happen again? Can you recall the aftermath when he willingly accepted your hug of approval — or better yet when he came to you for much-needed comfort following a punishment? Maybe it doesn’t turn out that storybook perfect, but it works and has for centuries.
So why, then, has our system been sending our children to a dark corner and leaving them there to stew instead of talking out their issues? Why have we been leaving kids to deteriorate, suffer and not receive solace or comfort? Apparently, because it’s the American way.
Until now.
President Obama this week has officially called a stop to juvenile solitary confinement. With the help of scores of grassroots groups, advocacy organizations and families of suffering children — and even children who have passed away — solitary confinement for kids has come to an end.
As a mother of two children who have been labeled “at-risk” because of their race, upbringing and mailing address, my fear is that they fall into the cracks of the school-to-prison pipeline. Every moment I’m not with them — a good 12 hours each day — I wonder what they’re doing, how they’re reacting to situations, if they’re being targeted and if I will get a call that will break my heart and soul.
[For more of this story, written by Zerline Hughes, go to http://youthtoday.org/2016/01/...e-at-rehabilitation/]
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