Title: Being bad : my baby brother and the school-to-prison pipeline /
Authors: Laura, Crystal T.,; Meiners, Erica R.,; Ayers, William, 1944-; Ayers, William.; Meiners, Erica R.
Year: 2014
Subjects: Chicago Public Schools.; African American boys Education Social aspects.; African American young men Education Social aspects.; African American high school students Illinois Biography.; School discipline United States.; Juvenile justice, Administration of United States
Abstract: "Being Bad will change the way you think about the social and academic worlds of Black boys. In a poignant and harrowing journey from systems of education to systems of criminal justice, the author follows her brother, Chris, who has been designated a "bad kid" by his school, a "person of interest" by the police, and a "gangster" by society. Readers first meet Chris in a Chicago jail, where he is being held in connection with a string of street robberies. We then learn about Chris through insiders' accounts that stretch across time to reveal key events preceding this tragic moment. Together, these stories explore such timely issues as the under-education of Black males, the place and importance of scapegoats in our culture, the on-the-ground reality of zero tolerance, the role of mainstream media in constructing Black masculinity, and the critical relationships between schools and prisons. No other book combines rigorous research, personal narrative, and compelling storytelling to examine the educational experiences of young Black males." -- Publisher's description.
Contents: Foreword / William Ayers -- Preface -- 1. My Brother, Chris -- 2. School-to-Prison Pipeline -- 3. The Tipping Point -- 4. 21 Questions -- 5. Walk the Path -- Epilogue -- Afterword / Erica R. Meiners -- Appendix A: On the Methods and Ethics of Intimate Inquiry -- Appendix B: Resource List -- References -- Index -- About the Author