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Alright this 15 year old black girl in Michigan being incarcerated for not doing her homework is not sitting right with me. She technically broke her probation from an earlier theft and assault charge which is why she was arrested but I’m gonna tell you why that’s STUPID
I grew up in the same area code as this girl. It’s rich, it’s white, it’s snobby. There was one black kid in my elementary school. One. With proximity to Detroit, the media definitely sensationalized crime and murders in a way that normalized racism. I had to unlearn that shit.
I got caught stealing when I was 14, and my school wasn’t notified, I wasn’t arrested, I was simply asked not to go back to that mall again and my mom grounded me for an entire summer, but I had no legal record.
Kids lie, they fight, and sometimes they steal. That’s a part of growing up- you are literally not fully developed and sometimes your brain tells you to do dumb shit. On top of that, this girl apparently has ADHD. I have ADHD and it is damn HARD to get shit done sometimes
Especially at home during a pandemic with a zillion distractions. Not to mention that adhd kids are prone to impulsivity and often have trouble controlling their emotions. If the state actually cared about Grace they wouldn’t throw her in the system
They’d take a look at what accommodations she could use as a non neurotypical student that would help her get her homework done and succeed. One on one time with a tutor? Believe me, Birmingham can afford it. But putting her in jail is only going to set her up for failure
These people do not care about her. The system does not let black children be children. Her actions are being judged as if she is already dangerous, not like a struggling child that desperately needs help and support.
Grace, idk if you ever get to see this, but babe, don’t believe the lies they tell you about yourself. You are not a threat to your community. I know it’s hard to handle all the emotions swirling in your head, I’ve been there. I learned how to work through it, so can you.
