Pushout - Chapter 5 (pg 170-192)
Welcome back, readers!!
I feel bittersweet about this being my last blog but I hope you enjoy this it!
As you may know, this will be my final thoughts of the book overall, including some thoughts on the last chapter as well. This chapter was probably my favorite chapter out of the whole book because Morris finally shares her thoughts about these issues overall. While I was reading this one paragraph of the chapter, I unconsciously nodded my head.
"From the lessons, patterns, and insight gathered through speaking with Black girls from coast to coast, six themes emerged as crucial for cultivating quality learning environments for Black girls: (1) the protection of girls from violence and victimization in school; (2) proactive discussions in schools about healthy intimate relationships; (3) strong student-teacher relationships; (4) school-based wraparound services; (5) an increased focus on student learning coupled with a reduced emphasis on discipline and surveillance; and (6) consistent school credit recovery processes between alternative schools and traditional district or community schools" (176).
Just by reading this paragraph, I could imagine that Morris was organizing a lot of thoughts as she approached different Black girls "from coast to coast." I personally she did an amazing job at pinpointing the "points" and organizing the outcomes of the conversations she had with them. While I was reading this book, I was actually wondering if she would ever include any of her personal thoughts more in her book but now I somehow feel relieved. I thought I would never get to know what she was really thinking as she was having these conversations.
I did not have the intention to mention any rhetorical strategies but as I read the first part of the second section of the chapter, I had a moment where I had a thought of "so THIS is imagery." The passage goes like this:
"Imagine a future for Black girls that is filled with dignity and where their learning spaces are places they are invited to critically engage, alongside educators, in the construction of their education and in the redemption of their lives. Imagine a Black female student identity that is not marred by stereotypes, but rather is buoyed by a collective vision of excellence that should always accompany the learning identities of our girls" (177).
To be very honest, I thought Morris had no opinion on this issue for some reason and just wanted to share her conversations with Black girls in this book. But one sentence struck me.
"There are no throwaway children. We can, and must, do better" (179).
As I read along this chapter, I could just see how passionate Morris is about this topic and how she wants to stand for these girls who are going through such hardships. She mentions that it is necessary that we should "invest our time and energy in the fight for racial justice - advocates, scholars, organizers, and others..."
Later on, she talks about what it really means to "respect." She mentions how schools should look beyond the appearance of a student. I strongly agree with her. Just like how we have a saying of "don't judge a book by its cover," no one should be judging anyone by the way they dress, their race, their hairstyle, etc.
I wish I could go on and talk about how I felt about every section of this chapter but as you can see, this chapter was probably the most powerful chapter out of the rest. This book was so interesting to me because I have never read a book about race before. It was very eye-opening and it made me reflect on the stereotypes that I had of other races as well. Although I am not going through anything similar to the Black girls who suffer from the trafficking, I could relate to a certain extent and a little more than before because I moved to a predominantly White city. It is not easy going through such judgement and stereotypes but because I understand, in the future, I would be more than happy to do anything to help these children have better lives, welcoming environments, and happier days.
Thanks so much for reading!!!
I feel bittersweet about this being my last blog but I hope you enjoy this it!
As you may know, this will be my final thoughts of the book overall, including some thoughts on the last chapter as well. This chapter was probably my favorite chapter out of the whole book because Morris finally shares her thoughts about these issues overall. While I was reading this one paragraph of the chapter, I unconsciously nodded my head.
"From the lessons, patterns, and insight gathered through speaking with Black girls from coast to coast, six themes emerged as crucial for cultivating quality learning environments for Black girls: (1) the protection of girls from violence and victimization in school; (2) proactive discussions in schools about healthy intimate relationships; (3) strong student-teacher relationships; (4) school-based wraparound services; (5) an increased focus on student learning coupled with a reduced emphasis on discipline and surveillance; and (6) consistent school credit recovery processes between alternative schools and traditional district or community schools" (176).
Just by reading this paragraph, I could imagine that Morris was organizing a lot of thoughts as she approached different Black girls "from coast to coast." I personally she did an amazing job at pinpointing the "points" and organizing the outcomes of the conversations she had with them. While I was reading this book, I was actually wondering if she would ever include any of her personal thoughts more in her book but now I somehow feel relieved. I thought I would never get to know what she was really thinking as she was having these conversations.
I did not have the intention to mention any rhetorical strategies but as I read the first part of the second section of the chapter, I had a moment where I had a thought of "so THIS is imagery." The passage goes like this:
"Imagine a future for Black girls that is filled with dignity and where their learning spaces are places they are invited to critically engage, alongside educators, in the construction of their education and in the redemption of their lives. Imagine a Black female student identity that is not marred by stereotypes, but rather is buoyed by a collective vision of excellence that should always accompany the learning identities of our girls" (177).
To be very honest, I thought Morris had no opinion on this issue for some reason and just wanted to share her conversations with Black girls in this book. But one sentence struck me.
"There are no throwaway children. We can, and must, do better" (179).
As I read along this chapter, I could just see how passionate Morris is about this topic and how she wants to stand for these girls who are going through such hardships. She mentions that it is necessary that we should "invest our time and energy in the fight for racial justice - advocates, scholars, organizers, and others..."
Later on, she talks about what it really means to "respect." She mentions how schools should look beyond the appearance of a student. I strongly agree with her. Just like how we have a saying of "don't judge a book by its cover," no one should be judging anyone by the way they dress, their race, their hairstyle, etc.
I wish I could go on and talk about how I felt about every section of this chapter but as you can see, this chapter was probably the most powerful chapter out of the rest. This book was so interesting to me because I have never read a book about race before. It was very eye-opening and it made me reflect on the stereotypes that I had of other races as well. Although I am not going through anything similar to the Black girls who suffer from the trafficking, I could relate to a certain extent and a little more than before because I moved to a predominantly White city. It is not easy going through such judgement and stereotypes but because I understand, in the future, I would be more than happy to do anything to help these children have better lives, welcoming environments, and happier days.
Thanks so much for reading!!!
Hi Grace,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I also was impacted by that sentence, "There are no throwaway children. We can, and must, do better" (179). It really struck something with me, it was hard to read this book and see the horrors girls our age face everyday, but I'm so glad I did. I was so unaware of these occurrences before, but now with this knowledge I feel I will be more aware an alert to these issues.
Great job, I really liked hearing your thoughts! - Abbey
Thanks, Abbey!
DeleteI am actually thankful that I got the chance to read this book and let it open my eyes to a different world that I was never exposed to. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. :)
Hi Grace! Chapter 5 was also my favorite chapter because Morris provided solutions for the problems in school systems. I had previously criticized Morris for pointing out how the educators are responsible for the criminalization of black girls without providing solutions. However, Chapter 5 finally provided solutions for the issues Morris pointed out throughout the book. Chapter 5 also let Morris' passion for this topic shine through, as you pointed out. Morris really cares about the girls she interviews, and she reveals that she is similar to these girls. In the epilogue she shares that she is a sexual assault survivor who had to deal with many of the same issues as the girls she interviewed. I agree with you and I think that this chapter is the most powerful because it shows how Morris wants respect and equal treatment for black girls. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHey Ellie!
DeleteI have read a couple of your blogs and honestly, I can see why you criticized Morris. The first 4 chapters were very vague and it was hard to see if Morris was trying to say anything to the readers but this chapter definitely spoke out to me. I hope you enjoyed this book as much as I did! Thanks for reading :)
Hi Grace, I liked your last blog post. I liked that you incorporated different quotes from the chapter to enhance your writing. Was there any critical issues raised throughout the book? Would were you thoughts on those critical issues?
ReplyDeleteGrace, you've done a nice job developing your voice as a blogger over the course of this assignment. I'm glad you enjoyed your book and were able to reflect on your ideas about it.
ReplyDelete