There are tremendous psychosocial dynamics involved in the placing of handcuffs on a five-year Black girl in St. Petersburg, Florida. Most people are in agreement that it should not have happened. After all, what real danger can a five year old pose, apart from being a nuisance or throwing a temper tantrum?

In the case of the Florida girl, her misbehavior consisted of tearing paper off the wall, and swinging at staff at her elementary school. And although it has been reported that she attacked the assistant principle with a fusillade of blows; upon viewing the videotape, it appears the girl was punching playfully (although inappropriately) in an effort to disrupt the classroom and to vent her frustration, rather than trying to hurt anyone. And even if she was, it is nearly impossible for a five year old to physically harm an adult armed with only tiny fists and feet.

But apart from the outward discrepancy of the incident, why was it deemed necessary (by a White teaching staff) to call the police on a five-year-old child?

It also makes you wonder why the child was so upset with assistant principle, Nicole Diberedetto, especially in light of statements reportedly made by the girl's mother who complained of previous mistreatment of her daughter by the staff.

Also disturbing is the apparent mind-sets of the three police officers who bound the kindergartner before taking her away in their squad car, releasing her to her mother only after being informed by the State's Attorney that a five year old could not be confined and prosecuted. And is it merely a coincidence that this particular five year old is Black?

The problem of racism in America is so prevalent and its historical, economic and social dynamics so pervasive that, sadly, it is involved in almost every occurrence. This is especially so when it pertains to relationships, physical contact and interaction between Whites and Blacks in the realm of law enforcement, judicial proceedings and punishment.

History does not consist of obsolete past events that are limited to by gone eras, which have no influence on the present or the future. It is, in fact, inseparable from current psychosocial and economic dynamics. In short, traumatic incidents and experiences of the past impact upon our present and our future.

Beginning with European and American slave trade, Black children have historically and traditionally been the recipients of incredible violence and mistreatment by government sanctioned agents and agencies of America. Contrary to popular belief, most of the Africans who were kidnapped and placed in the filthy holds of slave ships were not young men and women in their twenties and thirties, but were adolescent children. Many of them as young as five or even younger.

The beginnings of modern day police forces can be traced to the "paddy roller" patrols in the ante bellum south, when slave hunters (usually made up poor Whites) roamed the country side looking for escaped slaves to collect the bounty on or to participate in the national past time of assaulting Blacks.

One of the failings of Black people in America is our inability to look at incidents of controversy or injustice through the lens of our collective historical, social-economic experience. And this propensity to perceive incidents like the one in Florida as isolated or color-neutral deprives us of the needed historical perspective and insight to confront entrenched racism where it sits smugly at the root of the problem. And which (like a virus) has not been eliminated but remains in place to attack again at the first agitation or opportune moment.

The integrative civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's has a lot to do with this distortion of reality and our failure to examine assaults against us as part of the tapestry of a unified, inter-related whole.

During the integration movement we were conditioned to forget our unique history and the suffering we endured in order to expediently merge into a hoped-for utopian, race blind society.

Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, over three centuries of chattel slavery has affected every aspect of our existence as a people in America, as well as the perceptions and actions of all other groups with whom we share this land.

Habits and customs diehard (if at all) and it is both habitual and customary in America to portray (and to treat) Black people with suspicion and as dangerous misfits and criminals. This inclination has resulted in the knee-jerk reaction sparked by racially conditioned police agents to bind a 5-year-old Black child with restraints and to assume that she needs to be prosecuted through the so-called criminal justice system.

Moreover the racism of these police officers is probably so infused within their subconscious that they may not even realize that their actions have been referenced by centuries of American racism, stereotypical fears and irrational hatreds. Thus, a five-year-old Black girl- instead of misbehaving or being unruly-is said to viciously attack a teacher. And is considered so dangerous and threatening that the police are summoned and she is manhandled and forcibly bound amid her shrieks of pain and horror.

At the very least there was a break down in the respect, which traditionally exists (or should exist) between a student and teacher. For five year olds do not act out in this way if they respect their teacher. And teachers do not call the police on their students (especially five year olds) unless they have lost all control of their class, failed to maintain teacher-student protocol, and have no real love for the students they are entrusted with. These are the most important functions of a teacher for one cannot teach unless order is maintained, and traditionally the best teachers have always held a deep affection for their students.

There are those that look at this incident and advocate the return of disciplinary measures and corporal punishment to the classroom. Yet the problem is deeper than that. Experience has shown that when students (regardless of how young) develop respect for their teachers, they behave themselves in class. Not because they are afraid of receiving a paddling or a ruler across their knuckles; but because they admire their teachers, are in awe of them, and do not want to displease them.

Years ago, teachers in Black communities lived in the community where they taught. As such there was a healthy familiarity and empathy infused within the parent-student-teacher relationship. Yet when the parent becomes alienated from the child's teacher (as was reportedly the case in the Florida incident) the child will almost always become aware of this and act accordingly.

For children have an uncanny ability to sense when a grown person does not really care for them. No matter how much the grown ups try to masquerade as if they do. Perhaps, this is why the five-year-old Florida girl let out a heart-wrenching scream when the police attempted to hand cuff her. And perhaps that is why the teachers stood around while this was happening, and neither said or did anything to stop it.

Steven Malik Shelton is a writer and journalist. He is writing a book about the destructive forces of anger and violence in America. He lives in Detroit.

© 2005 By Afromerica

Brother Steven Malik Shelton will be keeping the Black community updated on the most current Black experiences effecting our lives. Visit regularly for new information that could help you overcome and make the best of your everyday experiences.

To subscribe to Malik's column join the Afromerica email list to receive new information as it is updated. Or E-mail Shelton at: stevmalikshelton@comcast.net

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