Blog Post #9

 Troublemakers, by Carla Shalaby

In Troublemakers, Shalaby argues that students who "act out" have a right to be free as much as their peers. She thinks that the violent environment around them mixed with the hierarchy in the classroom teaches students that some lives are more valuable than others. She explains, "our children are learning that only some lives matter, that only some deaths are tragic, that only a precious few deserve relief from suffering (18)." In school, children learn that quiet, rule following, pleasant students are the ones who matter. This encourages troublemakers to act out because they don't see themselves as valued. These students are punished, mistreated, and lose freedom to be seen as a full human being. "Troublemakers" become marginalized and excluded from socialization and education, making them more vulnerable to the school-to-prison pipeline; especially children of color. Shalaby argues that we can learn about freedom from these students. She suggests that these students disruptive behaviors can signal to us that there is something wrong with the way things are going. Instead of blaming a students behavior on their internal health, we should examine the classroom environment as the problem. Shalaby points out that school environments, classroom management, students expectations, and traditional education can be toxic for children. Troublemakers might just be more vulnerable to be damaged by this toxicity. 

Reflection:

This reading has helped me understand the "troublemakers" I have encountered in my service learning experience more. I've always thought that students who act out are not to blame because there is obviously something making them act that way. I would like to read more of this book to hopefully learn how to transform the classroom to treat these students equally and educate all of my students as well as possible. What are some strategies that you guys think could work?