Counteraction Reaction…..

Posted on October 31, 2015 Updated on October 31, 2015

Your counteraction can sometimes speak louder than an action…..

A counteraction can be defined as: An act of retaliation; a counterattack; any action in opposition to a previous action. (according to yourdictionary.com)

Where am I going with this? Your actions and someone else’s counteraction can both be wrong but the approach of a counteraction leaves the lasting impression. When you make a decision to respond in any situation, there are consequences to consider that may never be okay with an apology.

So, after seeing social media EXPLODE over the incident that happened at my alma mater, Spring Valley High School in Columbia, SC, through a viral cell phone video where a cop approached a student to leave the class that ended up in a violent counteraction to her action, I had to speak up…but as I get older, I’m learning the importance and the power of the ‘pause.’ President Barack Obama does it in his speeches…and whether it’s just his style naturally or if it was taught, it still allows a person to think about their response before they make it. This skill is quickly becoming a habit for me in my personal and professional life and has saved me from what I call a huge ‘clean up’ job! (aka apologizing from something I said off the fly)

But let’s keep it all the way live….I was LIVID when I saw the video. I played it over and over again then I stopped. I had to let my anger channel through my mind because I am very honest with myself and my emotions. This hurt…then it stung…as I watched the response of the students via video which seemed motionless as this officer flipped this girls desk then dragged her across the floor. You could feel the tension of utter shock as if it was something being played out in a movie and not in an actual classroom….a place where students should be learning and not concern about being mishandled by authority.

Now let me PAUSE….because I dated a teacher and I know that one of the most important attributes of teaching is classroom management. You see, you can be the best teacher ever but if you can’t manage your classroom, it will disrupt the flow of learning and for some teachers, that’s a hard balance which can ultimately be the demise of a teacher’s career. As a matter of fact I met an “Engineer turned Teacher” who ended her 2 years of teaching for that very reason…she could not manage her classroom and found it very difficult to teach beyond her love for teaching itself.

As I watched this story unfold in 4 days there was a lot of information that didn’t condone the action of the student but it made you broaden your perspective a little. Our young people are dealing with some serious issues of life and although it doesn’t justify them not listening to authority, it does raise the question of where was the authority in this young girl’s life? When parents neglect to teach their children respect at home or if no example of authority is being exercised in front of a child, it leaves the responsibility up to every other form of authority outside of the home to ‘teach’ that child and most of the time, a stranger is not going to give that child the ‘benefit of the doubt.’

She was broken…

So when she violated school rules and was asked multiple times to leave the classroom to the point to where a resource officer had to be called to escort her out, as a person in authority, you have to ask yourself, how should I counteract to this action?

He has issues…

And they stem from something bigger than a disrespectful child at the time who would not respond to his actions to remove her out of the class. The excessive force used was by no means necessary and was beyond his professional training as an officer, so what made him go so far?

I don’t know…and the fact of the matter is we all don’t know but he does…

His counteraction now outweighs the action of this student and has resulted in him being fired and possibly facing charges of assault.

So while the story is FAR from being over, my concern at this time is focused on one thing right now..

That young girl….

And while we don’t know all of ‘her story’, we know someone like her…shoot, let’s be honest, someone reading this right now may share a childhood that was similar..being raised by someone other than your mother, but your mother is alive and made a decision not to raise you. How did the your mother’s decision, regardless of the reason, influence you as a child AND as a woman?

I feel like we need to REACH a little further than the internet….I can hear the silent cry out loud for attention with nowhere to talk about their pain. Our young ladies….feeling the pressure to be all and do all and we are hurting…pain neglected is pain that will revisit…and never go away until we open our mouths and our hearts to let healing in….

I’m typing and I’m thinking…”Charlene…what more can you do?” and that voice inside says,”So much more….much more.” So I’m about to rally some of my poetic sister’s together and we will use our gifts to bring awareness and a face to other women and young girls. Each one…teach one…

xoxo Chiccy Baritone

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