Safety for Black College Students

As an educator, graduation season has been my favorite time of year. This past summer, I watched several videos of students achieving various milestones. Yet, I was sickened seeing videos of students — particularly Black students — punished for doing something I enjoy the most: celebrating. Philadelphia high school student <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/06/16/philadelphia-girls-school-graduate-denied-diploma-dancing-ceremony/70329153007/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Hafsah Abdur-Rahman,</a> who danced across the stage, was publicly shamed by her principal and not handed a diploma. Similarly, students in a <a href="https://www.newsbreak.com/@carl-belen-1605086/3045750660482-family-anger-flares-as-police-eject-celebrating-students-from-graduation-ceremony" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Baton Rouge high school</a> and at the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/university-florida-employee-manhandles-black-graduates-commencement-n872116" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">University of Florida</a> were physically assaulted and almost arrested for dancing at graduation after walking off stage. If Black students are harassed and publicly shamed within these moments of jubilation, one can only imagine the type of harassment that can occur in other moments. These moments of Black joy and pride were overshadowed by policing, which made me reflect on what it truly means for Black students to feel safe in academic settings. If Black students could not be their authentic selves, they’ll never feel safe in their academic environments. <a href="https://medium.com/national-center-for-institutional-diversity/safety-for-black-college-students-eb3484c93bad">Click Here</a>