And It Happens Again, and Again, and Again, and Again...

Benjamin, of HungryBlues (which is now added to sidebar as blog read more often than not), has a series of excellent posts about this kindergartner -- that's right, she's five years old -- handcuffed by police at her school.  The images were taken from the widely available video clip of the incident. 

Where is the outrage about this incident?  Or this one?  Or this one?  Or this one?   

Yes, for each there have been localized protests and blogging anger, but does anyone else seem to care?  Will we see nightly news analysis of the personal and institutionalized racism and violence directed at poor, children of color in our country?

As Benjamin asks:

Why is there such a rush to blame a vulnerable African American girl, who is ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD and "by reason of . . . physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care" (UNICEF Convention on the Rights of the Child)?

Why are there so few questions being asked about the role of the responsible adults who were present at the time of the incident?

Why is there so little acknowledgment of the age- and race-related power imbalances?

Why is it so little acknowledged that the only person who was ever in any genuine physical danger was Ja'eisha Scott?

Why have none of the reporters in the mainstream press bothered to seek expert opinions on the traumatic effects of such police behavior on small children?

Why have none of the news reports discussed what prevention resources are, in fact, available for children in Pinellas County, Florida?

Why have none of the news reports acknowledged the lack of funding for mental health treatment for children in Florida?

Not likely that there will be substantive examination of any of these questions, or of how we are all part of the problem, of how we are all responsible.  Rather, we'll just hear more about those "at risk" children, and what must be done to fix them.