About Shaquanda Cotton: an interview with Terry Howcott
John Calvin Jones
2007-04-09 | permalink | comment (0) | feedback |

Editor's note:  The recent story of Shaquanda Cotton, sentenced to seven years in a juvenile prison for her first offense, pushing a hall monitor at her high school in Paris, Texas, raises a number of social policy issues.  Though Ms. Cotton was just released, given the revelations of abuses in the Texas Penal System, where youths were forced to have sex with guards, thousands of others are trapped behind bars and are being tracked for prison as we speak.  Many people sought to shed light on the Shaquanda Cotton case and secure her release.  One such woman was Terry Howcott.  I was able to interview Ms. Howcott and get her thoughts on the Shaquanda Cotton affair and more.] 

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Terry Lynn Howcott, MSW, is an educator and activist.  She lives in Detroit, constantly working on matters of social justice and resisting discrimination and bigotries against people based upon their race, culture gender, what she calls “attractional orientation” and any number of other areas of oppression.  She is the founder, co-builder and host of the website, terryhowcott.com

John Calvin Jones:  Ms. Howcott, tell us about your orientation on the topic of social justice and where you see that we need to work, in order to improve the lives of us all?

Terry Howcott:  Thank you and I appreciate your thinking of me for this interview.  A discussion of social justice or lack thereof is so vast that one’s orientation almost requires one be somewhat disoriented or off balance.  There are so many paths that the oppressor uses to clamp down on so many of us that it’s hard even for those of us who think we know a little something to wrap our brains around the magnitude.  Somewhere I decided that too many people were preaching to the choir, i.e. activists, intellectuals, and others talking to themselves about racism, sexism, intra race bigotry and other forms of oppression, and that not enough work was being done to plant some seeds with folk who really don’t “get it.” 

I don’t have any magical ideas as to how we move from gathering together and agreeing with one another into a more mature community organizing model – but out of desperation terryhowcott.com was born which, in a nutshell, says that Black unity has to be unconditional.  So far, we have placed so many barriers and controls against African people that we never even hear the word “unity” uttered anymore.  Too many have actually pulled back from Black unity concepts that authentic unity might never be realized.  To insist upon a partial coming together is an unhealthy thing and is not a valid approach to Black liberation.  So, with my website, I hope to forge ahead as my numbers grow – and things are looking good – toward the planning of the first annual “Broad and Black” Family Reunion.

JCJ:  I had the pleasure of hearing you during an interview you had on KPFT (kpft.org), the Pacifica Radio station of Houston, Texas.  You were discussing the case of Shaquanda Cotton, what can you tell us about Ms. Cotton and her current circumstances?

TH:  Shaquanda Cotton is a 15 year-old Black girl-child, who was sentenced and imprisoned for shoving a hall monitor at her school in Paris, Texas.  Having heard about it, and perusing online I saw other people writing on the subject, but thought there were some additional points that ought to be raised. 

Of course, we know intuitively that the environment in Texas and in the South is especially oppressive.  So a child who might already have social difficulties growing up in a racist, unsupportive environment would naturally be a prime candidate to act out, by pushing or shoving someone.  But why was she picked out and given such a harsh sentence?  We know that her mother, Ms. Creola Cotton, had long been an outspoken resister to racist practices, and the elder Ms. Cotton has reported problems in Paris, Texas for some time.  And we also know the effects of racism and oppression on Shaquanda, since her incarceration we know that Shaquanda has tried to hurt herself in prison.

JCJ:  Before we go further, tell us why you care about what happened to Shaquanda or her future.  I mean, she is not related to you is she?

TH:  For me, Shaquanda is closer than kin.  This teenage girl is a reflection of who I am, and vice versa.  Her Black girlhood is my history just as much as I want to believe that my Black womanhood is her future. 

Let me give an anecdote.  I was at a grocery store today, and after I got to the line, I realized I had forgotten something.  I laid my stuff down and ran back to the aisle.  When I returned, two women had joined the line, the one in front with a few items and the gracious one in the rear granted me space to get back to my place after I explained.  The one in front, rolled her eyes and said “we don’t use food to hold our place in line here.” 

When I posed to her a quick diagnosis of her problem (that being that she was suffering some control dilemmas combined with old-time racism) she took her little hand basket and proceeded to slam it on top of my food, three times!  The sister almost turned my grapes to grape juice.  At that very moment, I felt Shaquanda’s spirit pass through me as I explained angrily to that woman “violence is no fun unless all parties get to participate.”  I calmed down, but these kinds of incidents that we have suffered in some form or fashion inform us that Shaquanda might have experienced harassment, or some social intrusion that she might not be able to identify given her age and socio-political unawareness.  I see Shaquanda and her case as an example where a young girl reacted in a manner that was meant to push away, shove and reject these types of subtle or overt acts of indignity and attitudes on our behalf.

JCJ:  When I heard your interview, you said that few details are known about the incident involving Shaquanda.  Then you added, we do not know the background of the White man whom she supposedly pushed.  From your perspective, as Black woman, as a Social Work Practitioner with a critical eye, tell us why you see questions of background as significant?

TH:  A person’s background and the social context, just as is the case with history, means everything.  All events leading to a particular offense can change and rearrange our perceptions of what we think we know.   Investigation of the facts is critical to our ability to reason and make proper decisions.  We should know why Shaquanda chose to shove that particular guard.  What did this hall monitor say to Shaquanda just before Shaquanda reacted?  What, if any, past issues or incidents did these two have?  What is the history of this hall guard with other Black and Brown students?  I submit that a less than thorough exploration or law enforcement and school or organizational decision-making often mean that the officials in charge are exercising a deliberate misuse of power.  They manipulate events or hide relevant facts that in turn generate criminal convictions that can destroy people’s lives.

JCJ:  On Democracy Now, Amy Goodman alluded to the fact that Shaquanda was singled out because her mother complained about racism in the schools in Paris, Texas, what do you know about that?

TH:  I only know of various press accounts about how Shaquanda’s mother, Creola, complained to the school board about racism in the schools in Paris, Texas.  But from a larger perspective, I know first-hand of the overt and subtle reactions we receive when we challenge White superiority and racism, be it with institutions like schools or in private relationships with colleagues and friends.

We know that even the most progressive White people can be incapable of evaluating their own bigotries unless they have discovered them on their own – which is often rare.  We also know that too frequently, White people will pull back, become cold, stone like, emotionally unavailable if you raise issues of race or White Supremacy. 

If Creola Cotton pushed these school officials, and they reacted as most do, becoming defensive and resentful for hearing about their own bigotries, it is likely that they retaliated and Shaquanda was punished as a result.  Instead of considering the complaints of the Cotton family in earnest, and accepting criticism in a way to construct an authentic learning environment, they retaliated, and struck out with the tool of punishment instead of healing.   

JCJ:  What about Shaquanda, and the message the school administrators and the courts sent to her directly? 

TH:  We can presume that Shaquanda is in tune with her mother’s questions and concerns.  As such, we can suspect that Shaquanda might have also accused her hall monitors, teachers or school personnel of being racist.  As we know, the status quo in this country is weak with fear of debate – especially over the top of racism and White Supremacy. 

So much of this fear manifests as discussions about control and regulating behavior of others.  For example, recently the National Institute of Mental Health provided a report that gave suggestions as to what parents could do to keep their children “from being bad.”  Authors of the NIMH report actually considered evidence of children being “bad” to include their being “argumentative.”  So the position from government officials and Mental Health professionals is that a child who is smart enough to ask questions is “bad.”  We will never find cures for cancer and AIDS if we allow schools to farm our children like ears of corn – depriving them of a sense of inquisitiveness and ability to challenge status quo positions on a given issue.  From what I can see, this is how Shaquanda’s schools is and was operating.  Any allegations by the school system that they were concerned about Shaquanda’s conduct, so much so, that they had to have this girl who had no criminal record, arrested and sent to prison, probably had more to do with this child claiming her right to share her thoughts. 

Fighting for the right of our children to speak their minds is our duty.  As we can tell, even from the “Bong Hits for Jesus” case in the Supreme Court, no school administrators will ever side with children and their creativity and independence.

JCJ:  Shaquanda Cotton is from Paris, Texas (Northeast of Dallas and close to the Oklahoma border), but she is housed in a prison in Brownwood, Texas (275 miles to the Southwest), in the middle of Texas Brownwood is not even near a major airport.  Hence Creola Cotton, Shaquanda’s mother, could not visit her often.  My understanding is that such a practice is common, namely housing prisoners as far from their families as possible.  Tell us what you know about the practice in general and how it affects both the incarcerated and the families. 

TH:  I am glad that you raise that issue.  We see similar conduct where I live in Michigan.  In Detroit we had a Police Chief, Jerry Oliver, who proposed, on behalf of Detroit’s Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a program that would transport Detroit-area prisoners to other states.  I had never seen such a vengeance-hearted policy.  Of course we know that this practice of commodifying prisoners feeds the very corporations that strive to humiliate and victimize prisoners beyond the basic circumstances of imprisonment.  In her particular case, the further away that Shaquanda is and was from her family and community, the less love and support she had via her Grandmother, Mother and other loved ones and friends. 

Shipping Shaquanda or any prisoners, so far from home, is an attempt to damage her psychologically, and serves as a microcosm of what we happening to our community at-large.  Shaquanda and youths like her are considered future crop for corporate devils who work to create a steady flow of younger and younger Black bodies into their private prison system. 

I once wrote a paper on prisons.  Through my research I learned that these private-prison corporations and their parent companies lobbies Congress against Head Start Programs, knowing full well that studies suggest children who engage Head Start are less likely to go to prison.  Those who prey on Black and Brown and the poor actually lobby against good social policy and educational opportunities for Brothers and Sisters who are particularly at risk of being netted into prison.  Thus the retaliation against the resistance offered by Creola Cotton came with the same message:  “not only will we will get you, but we will get you by isolating Shaquanda and making it as unlikely as possible that she will be a success in her future.” 

JCJ:  I see Shaquanda Cotton as a symbol for a larger complex of pathologies.  That is, she attended a public school, in a system that is run more like a prison than a sanctuary for learning,

and the State of Texas – like others, forces students to learn thousands of unintegrated facts and prepare to take multiple choices tests, which is really about teaching obedience over creativity.  From your experience and perspective, comment about what you see happening in our schools and to masses of young people?

TH:  Our young people are rightfully unhappy in today’s public schools.  We should point out that schools were never really made for us, Black and Browns.  The highest ideal, of the public school as a place to develop future leaders through a classical or liberal arts education was not intended to benefit us.  Further as the school system has split and created the Black and Brown, mindless skill track – designed to create a vocational class of passive workers – is not made for our styles of learning.  Moreover, the schools have never been structured in a way that allows for truth telling. 

Black children are born to tell truths because truth is a reflection of their intelligence.  However, Black children are acculturated to telling lies after matriculating into these schools.  That is, we learn to discount our own reality and encouraged to believe that Martin Luther King, Jr. said that race is unimportant or should not be recognized or that the U.S. is not an imperialist nation.  Like Kanye West said after Katrina, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.”  We all see it.  New Orleans and the entire Gulf Region have not been rebuilt, but billions are spent on war in Iraq and Afghanistan.  When our public schools do not incorporate this neglect of our people into their lessons and truths, Black children learn that they are undervalued.  I am not saying there aren’t some children, Black and White who learn dishonesty before they enroll in school, but I think you get my drift.

JCJ:  Your website is massive and has hundreds of links, news articles, stories, and commentaries.  How did you put it together and what do you hope to do with it?

TH:  Well, I did that with a lot of help from some special people – a committee I formed to help prop me up and advise me, some of whom were Detroiters and others were monitoring and loving the process from afar.  I envisioned its parts and researched and wrote artists and museums and photographers around the world begging for use of their wares, found an amazing site builder who saw the vision, loved what I had collected - and the rest is history. 

JCJ:  Returning to the specifics and generalities of Shaquanda Cotton, I know that a few web pages encourage others to write to the judge who sentenced her, asking for mercy.  But it seems to me, that such is like asking a member of the KKK to remove the rope during a lynching.  Are there not a host of other strategies that are more practical and far reaching?  What do you thing?

TH:  I believe in the art of protest, and I strongly believe that it is important to protest and keep old anger flowing out to make room for what will enrage us soon thereafter.  I also think that oppressive people generally only listen to other oppressive people.  So one of them is going to have to say “Buck” or “Jeb” I think we gotta’ let that old Black girl go.”  This is why at my page, I suggested contacting some of the folks who will be spending money in Texas this Spring Summer. 

Also, I think a day off from work from all the Black folk and their allies in Texas could cripple that state.  That could help draw that first wave of attention to a national strike.  As working people we hold the purse strings, much like a legislature, except we have the potential to have an immediate effect and we have much more courage than any legislators to stand up against economic power and oppression.

JCJ:  Is there anything more that you would like to add when you reflect on the Shaquanda Cotton case, and a wide range of social, economic and political issues that are manifest in her ordeal?  Thankfully, due to social pressure and public scrutiny, Shaquanda was recently released.

TH:  Well, perhaps the most important thing is that I hope Shaquanda Cotton’s Mother, Creola, and Grandmother are holding themselves together with what must be a devastating and heartbreaking experience for them.  The school system, the prosecutors and all those involved with this case must pay reparations to this family.  Shaquanda Cotton needs some good strong professional support, cultural engagement and loads of tender loving care after this experience. 

I think that Shaquanda’s situation and the quality of response to her case with Black bloggers, radio hosts and others is indicative of the larger matter that people are really tired.  Hopefully, the redress given Shaquanda can egg on Black people and other activists in this country to take the offensive saying:  “We’re going to shoot back at oppression.  We can take your best shot, and we will come back.” 

Lastly, I think that this nation is in a dangerous position considering that the president has made moves so that he can declare Martial Law more easily.  G. W. Bush is a deeply troubled ideologue who might want to lock this country down and recreate it in his own image.  I hope that we don’t fall for what appears to be exactly what he and his handlers want – that is violence.  Bush is a man who has proven that he has no problem with ordering the killing a whole lot of innocent people, issuing orders for torture, and who is as ruthless and heartless as I have seen in my lifetime.

Thank you.

John Calvin Jones
2007-04-09 | permalink | comment (0) | feedback | Digg This! |

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