Black New Jersey Kids Ticketed for Jaywalking!
Black kids in Teaneck, New Jersey are being issued $54 jaywalking tickets by the police. The kids are students at the predominantly Black Thomas Jefferson Middle School. The youngest child to get a ticket was 11-years old. Not only did these kids get jaywalking tickets, they were also placed into police cars and driven back to school.
The police say they aren’t singling kids out based on race, so why then the presence at this particular school? And, why aren’t they having police wait outside all middle schools to ticket all children committing the same offense? Certainly this school has been singled out for a reason. There’s always a reason for everything. It’s not just chance that police are targeting this school.
The police also say they aren’t trying to traumatize the kids by placing them in squad cars. They say they just want to “get them back to a responsible adult.” Stopping a child to write them a ticket is going to be traumatic no matter how you try to justify it. If I were an 11 year old stopped by a cop, my heart would be beating out of my chest and I’d be completely terrified. Of all the crimes occurring in Teaneck, NJ and all of the ticketable offenses, this is what the police want to focus on?
The police have tried to justify the ticketing by saying they were only responding to “complaints from neighbors.” Okay. So, the predominantly Black students at this school are the only students in Teaneck, NJ, who jaywalk/walk off the sidewalk. Yeah, right. Point me to a school, where this isn’t commonplace. I see it everyday of the week.
I guess there aren’t enough murders, robberies, drugs being sold, etc. for the police to occupy their time.
TELL US ABOUT IT: Do you think the actions of the police in Teaneck, NJ are reasonable? How would you respond…as a parent? Post a comment or send an email to blackonthejob@yahoo.com.
Source: http://wcbstv.com/local/local_story_269184939.html
The police say they aren’t singling kids out based on race, so why then the presence at this particular school? And, why aren’t they having police wait outside all middle schools to ticket all children committing the same offense? Certainly this school has been singled out for a reason. There’s always a reason for everything. It’s not just chance that police are targeting this school.
The police also say they aren’t trying to traumatize the kids by placing them in squad cars. They say they just want to “get them back to a responsible adult.” Stopping a child to write them a ticket is going to be traumatic no matter how you try to justify it. If I were an 11 year old stopped by a cop, my heart would be beating out of my chest and I’d be completely terrified. Of all the crimes occurring in Teaneck, NJ and all of the ticketable offenses, this is what the police want to focus on?
The police have tried to justify the ticketing by saying they were only responding to “complaints from neighbors.” Okay. So, the predominantly Black students at this school are the only students in Teaneck, NJ, who jaywalk/walk off the sidewalk. Yeah, right. Point me to a school, where this isn’t commonplace. I see it everyday of the week.
I guess there aren’t enough murders, robberies, drugs being sold, etc. for the police to occupy their time.
TELL US ABOUT IT: Do you think the actions of the police in Teaneck, NJ are reasonable? How would you respond…as a parent? Post a comment or send an email to blackonthejob@yahoo.com.
Source: http://wcbstv.com/local/local_story_269184939.html
Labels: racial profiling
posted by S. Mary Wills at 12:14 PM
3 Comments:
Holy crap, so now African Americans have rights to complain that they're being discriminated for being singled out by police?? How about maybe taking into consideration that they might've horseplayed around the road while crossing it. Or what if they pushed one another and yelled:" Nigga this, Nigga that?" I'm not a racist, but this looks far too familiar with what's going on in my college which is 75-80% black.
What do you mean "now"? Blacks and other minority groups have all complained of being singled out. It's called racial profiling and it's illegal. There weren't any allegations of horseplay. The neighbors complained that the kids were jaywalking--crossing without having the right-of-way and walking in the street, as opposed to on the sidewalks.
Of course, that was a complaint about kids being in harms way. But, you're missing the point--probably intentionally, since you seem to have obvious issues with Black people. This behavior happens at nearly every school and in many different age groups. I've lived in several states and have seen kids of ALL RACES jaywalking. As a result, one school shouldn't be singled out.
Your question about what if they pushed each other shouting "Nigga this, Nigga that?" was really ignorant. I think you are aware of that. Of all the things any kids might be yelling, why did you pick those words. You're telling on yourself whether you mean to or not.
The one paragraph you wrote, including that question about "Nigga this..." really does make you seem like a person who feeds into stereotypes and has a hostile attitude against Blacks. The fact that you point out that your college is predominantely Black indicates you have a problem with the statistic.
I think we all must go through this world learning to see things from other people's perspective. It doesn't mean you will agree with their point of view, but it does mean that you have developed a capacity for empathizing with people. It's amazing what that can do to free your soul and not be so confident that your strong views are correct.
But, to get back to your initial question...yes, racial profiling is an issue. Especially when you're talking about profiling 11-13 year old KIDS.
Now, if you believe in racial profiling (so long as it's not a profile against your race of people)...that's another story.
Mary, it's not about race -- it's about culture, and there is a culture among some black people which encourages jaywalking and purposely getting in the way of cars. If these kids are traumatized by getting a ride in a police car and having to pay $50-60 bucks for breaking the law, then maybe they won't do it again! Maybe they'll stay our of the road and not get hit.
Stop looking for oppression under every rock and recognize that there are problems in your community which need to be corrected.
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