EDUCATION + POLICING

The phrase “defund the police” has become a lasting reminder of Congress’s colossal failure to address criminal justice reform. Even though the majority of Americans agreed that George Floyd’s death was a symptom of “an underlying racial injustice problem,” Congress failed to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would enact structural changes to policing, introduce a method for transparency, and accountability.

So, why did “defund the police” get so much bad press when conservatives have been defunding public schools for years without so much as a peep from the other side of the aisle? Because Democrats have a horrible habit of responding to the right’s positions rather than taking on bad-faith talking points. But, letting conservatives’ hypocrisy dominate the narrative is dangerous. The debate over “defund the police” was never about public safety; it was about police controlling Black people in their communities.

Likewise, defunding public schools isn’t about providing parents with “choice.” White students are not short on options for pursuing their education. America’s first school was whites-only, and only through Black parents’ advocacy over generations did that dynamic change. Attacking public school funding is a blatant attempt to deny Black, Latino, and other marginalized students equal opportunities as White students. Approximately 64% of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck and can’t possibly afford to send their children to private schools. Conservatives are trying to find a way around Brown v Board of Education, where they can still provide separate and unequal opportunities for Black students.

Their lop-sided priorities send the message that controlling citizens is more important than educating them.

What does it say about American politics that “defund the police” got so much bad press when defunding public schools is happening without much concern from the public? Let’s unpack this.

Folks mad at the “defund the police” movement believe citizens have no right to negotiate their social contract with local police departments even though when individual officers violate citizens’ rights, tax-payers are left holding the bill. So, let’s talk about money. Chicago spends 37% of its budget on policing, and Los Angeles spends 25.5%, compared to New York City, which spends 7%. Yet, shootings rose to 220% in 2021 in Chicago. Spending more on police departments doesn’t always decrease violent crime, but it surely helps them raise money. But, when you're a hammer, “every problem looks like a nail.”

Now, in contrast, there is no downside to funding public schools. “A population that is better educated has less unemployment, reduced dependence on public assistance programs, and greater tax revenue.” Yet, during the Trump era, “Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sought to cut public education funding by $9 billion.”

Elvia Díaz described their strategy as “a coordinated attack to defund public schools.” And now, conservatives are using their favorite boogie man, “critical race theory,” to attack schools’ budgets if they don’t comply with their demands — stripping school curricula of books by Black authors, or providing Black academic perspectives.

All children, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, should have equal access to public education. Sadly, not all Americans agree. Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants to “overturn a court decision requiring states to provide free schooling to all children.” If states do not have to provide public education to students, they will undo generations of progress in increasing literacy. “Public education spending in the United States falls short of global benchmarks,” even as the country seems to ignore this major problem.

Public schools are important in America, and around the world, because they ensure that children have equal opportunities to learn, and develop the skills they need. Conservatives and moderates made it seem like defunding the police would mean the end of the world but don’t seem as concerned about the attacks on public education. Their lop-sided priorities send the message that controlling citizens is more important than educating them.

Black Visions Collective coined the term “defund the police.” And before you critique them, ask yourself, how much would you pay for a doctor to perform a botched surgery or a lawyer to mismanage your case or a teacher to provide students with faux facts? Funny how police departments are the only institutional power structure we’re not allowed to criticize, refine, or redefine. If we’re truly free, then we should be able to have adult conversations about what is and what isn’t working. Statistics show police are killing more citizens, so why are we allowing conservatives’ feelings to supersede raw data? Fear and racism muddy the roux.

Racists and their defenders want America to believe that Black people are more dangerous, more likely to commit a crime, and therefore require a heavy police presence to maintain order. Yet, “study after study after study has found that police are more likely to search Black motorists after a traffic stop.” Furthermore, a Chicago study suggested that “Chicago police officers used more force against Black citizens, on average than any other race — even though Black citizens tended to exercise less resistance than Whites.” It’s essential to remember that “defund the police” didn’t arise out of thin air, nor was it a call for lawlessness, as many conservatives claimed.

Public safety is important, but since many police departments are failing to keep Black Americans safe, and instead are causing harm to the community, citizens have the right to advocate for change. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned against those who say “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action.” And we’re seeing it first hand in Senator Manchin’s refusal to support criminal justice reform, women’s rights, voting rights, environmental protection, and human infrastructure.

We see it again in Biden’s call for Congress to beef up police budgets even as his core constituency, Black voters are asking for transformative change and accountability in policing. And we see it in the deafening silence as conservatives continue to defund public schools. An educated population is the bedrock of democracy. So, by attacking students’ freedom to learn, conservatives are attacking future generations’ ability to make informed decisions.

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