Processing Police Brutality:
Its Impact on Mental Health
**Although the following information was created to guide classroom conversations, we also know that this information can also be a resource for caregivers and/or community members with creating healing centered spaces to discuss the impact of police brutality on ones mental health.**
George Floyd
1973-2020
Daunte Wright
2000 -2021
Self-Awareness
George Perry Floyd Jr. and Daunte Wright
On May 25th, 2020 (Memorial Day) ~ 46 years old, George Floyd was murdered by former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin when being questioned about a counterfeit bill that he presented at a neighborhood store. Chauvin in addition to three other officers , Keung, Lang, and Thao were charged with his death after witnesses reordered the entire ordeal on their cell phones.
On April 18th, 2021, ~ 20 year old Daunte Wright was shot and killed in a traffic stop by Kimberly Porter, a former Brooklyn Center Police Officer. Daunte, was also a former Minneapolis Public School student. Daunte's murder was recorded by the police officers body camera, and shared with the public. In this video, you could also hear Porter screaming, "taser" as she shot him with her gun.
Processing Police Brutality Collectively
Together, we will process the police brutality that has been taking place within our community. Therefore, it is imperative that you first review the presentation on Processing Police Brutality (PPB), before holding conversations with others regarding this sensitive topic. As you review the presentation, spend some time identifying how you are feeling about police brutality. The goal here is for you to build a strong foundation for yourself prior to "holding space" with others. By reviewing this information on your own, you will be able to build empathy and also reduce the amount of anxiety you may or may not be feeling at this given time. As you process this information, please be sure to ask yourself: What am I feeling right now? Where am I feeling -it, in my body? Notice your breath, is it shallow or deep? Notice your face, are your jaws tight or your eyebrows cringed? Be advised that your disposition will dictate the emotional climate within your space.
Lastly, please be mindful of all of your privileges. It's best that you limit your comments during these discussions to allow students' voices to take center stage. This gives our students the opportunity to create healing centered and civically engaged spaces for themselves. In order to increase student engagement, it is also recommended that time be made available for these conversations take place on a consistent basis (same time, location, and day of the week). This will help create an environment that is founded on support, safety, and respect for all.
As you prepare for the conversations, consider this:
Do
Validate feelings
“I understand you are feeling:_______”
Remind students they are cared about
“I am here for you”
“I care about you and your well being”
“You matter and are important to me”
Normalize Feelings
Reassure students the range of emotions they are feeling are valid.
Let your students talk amongst each other.
Allow students to have space to verbally express themselves without judgement (i.e. students of color being perceived as dangerous inappropriate when expressing anger)
Ask Open-ended questions
“How are you all feeling/what is on your mind?”
“What kinds of conversations are you having with your families about police brutality?”
Don't
Do not say things like:
“It’s not about race”
“I don’t see color”
“Let’s wait until all the facts are out”
“Let the FBI investigate”
“This isn’t the way to get justice”
Don’t expect students to get work done or all work done
Don’t call parents without asking how they are doing
Don’t make it about you or defend
What Will Be Covered?
Remember, we will not be able to answer all of the questions being asked of us, but we can take time to co-create brave, spaces that focus on individual and communal strengths as we move together towards healing. Processing Police Brutality covers Race Based Trauma & Stress and Its Impact on Mental Health as it relates to the following:
Anxiety
Depression
Grief & Loss
The information in the presentation is designed to be used over multiple days. As you go through the materials, be sure to survey your audience frequently to assess "what needs they may have"; if you have a student that needs additional mental health support, we asked that you refer them to your building social worker, psychologist, counselor or nurse. If you find that you need more information on a particular topic, you can contact Judy Brown and the Mental Health Support team. If you find that you need additional support processing your feelings, please contact the following:
1) Your Primary Physician or MPS Human Resources
2) National Association for Mental Illness - NAMI, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm or
3) 24 - hour Support - Text NAMI to 741 - 741
*Some ideas adapted from The Future of Healing: Shifting from Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement; Facing History and Ourselves Election 2020 Webinar and We Can't Be Neutral: Abolitionist Teaching Strategies on November 4 by the Abolitionist Teaching Network
Notes for the presentation:
Setting the Stage
Ask your audience to start by processing their own individual feelings. Ask them to take some quiet time for self reflection and fill out the prompt on the slide:
I am feeling ______ because _______.
Create Agreements on Engagement
There are some suggested engagement agreements in the notes section of the Processing Police Brutality presentation.
Questions to help guide this process: In order to have a space where your audience can process thoughts/feelings about police brutality and what "must" we agree to do? How will we all "show-up" for ourselves and for our peers?
Values
Everyone’s experience, thoughts, and feelings are filtered through their values - our lives are shaped by our values. During today’s conversation we will have a chance to talk about our feelings and thoughts as well as how our values impact our experiences. First let’s talk about what values we bring to school (our spaces) and the values we bring to the conversation today.
Engaging heads, hearts and hands
This section will help set up the work on later days.
Students will be reminded about empathy.
Establish What do we know/ What we don’t know.
Example: What do we know : “Over the past five years there has been no reduction in the racial disparity in fatal police shooting”
Example: What we don’t know: We don’t know if George Floyd and Chauvin knew each other.
Where can you find factual information (Legal Rights Center : Trial Community Support)