Subtle bigotry of expectations

This week, the Northwestern District Attorney in Massachusetts indicted 9 teenagers for several criminal violations that led to the suicide of a student in South Hadley. There is the expected, and necessary, hand wringing and soul searching that accompany such events in small towns. The suicide occurred some months ago and the extensive bullying endured by the young girl was quickly exposed. Initially, the focus was on e-bullying, although the recent indictment reveals that there was a fair amount of traditional, face-to-face bullying. It was also revealed that some school officials and staff were aware of, and even witnessed the bullying, but did nothing to stop it or provide support for the young girl.

In today's report on the matter, I took note of the following quote:

This happens in other areas, not here.

Indeed, this is exactly the kind of thing that happens in "here" in these small, middle income suburban towns. The Boston Globe found that middle schools in suburban school districts had surprisingly high rates of violence, confiscation of weapons, and sexual harassment.

What I find interesting in all of this is difference in reaction to these problems between the primarily white and middle class/wealthy suburbs and the city. While there was an early and sustained cry for justice for the victim, when indictments were handed down, the idea of criminal punishment seemed too harsh for some. Some questioned whether this was even appropriate.

We’re not talking about whether these kids should be punished in some normal fashion or be thrown out of school. We’re talking about whether they should have criminal records or possibly go to jail.

My question is: is it inappropriate because of who these kids are, or because of the crimes they've committed? And can you reconcile that answer with the fact that hundreds of Boston area (read: black, African-American, Latino, and poor) students each year have been sent to jail for offenses significantly less extreme than criminal stalking and violations of civil rights, as the South Hadley 9 are now charged with.

It is my view that suburbanites have different standards for themselves than for those of us who live in the city. Exceptionalism is a sentiment widely held by privileged suburbanites, the vast majority of whom are white and at least middle class. Suburbanites are quick to turn a blind eye to the zero tolerance policies that have resulted in urban children, primarily non-white and poor, from being treated in exactly the same way as the nine indicted this week - if they were lucky. And yet, when their children are found to have been criminally stalking and violating the civil rights of one of their own, the punishment is somehow not normal. In this case, in this place, the crime is not so egregious to require this level of punishment. Indeed, what these kids did is really normal adolescent behavior. And the people to blame are not the 16-18 year olds who stalked this young girl, but the teachers and school officials who did not do anything to stop it. And the parents. Let's not forget the parents of this isolated case of extreme bullying.

But, of course, that is different than the youth who commit crimes in the city. They should be held responsible for their behavior. Even if what they have done is normal adolescent behavior, like smoking pot. Because that is illegal. They deserve their criminal records. Our teens are different. Our kids do not do things like this. This kind of thing only happens over there. Some place else. A place that is comprised of people who are not like us. Bad people. Not people like us. Our kids deserve to live with their shame privately. They do not deserve criminal records.