A powerful look at black girls' path through the education system

'Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools' by Monique Morris
'Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools' by Monique Morris
Courtesy of publisher

Every week, The Thread checks in with booksellers around the country about their favorite books of the moment. This week, we spoke with Clarrissa Cropper of Frugal Bookstore in Roxbury, Mass.

Clarrissa Cropper recommends an eye-opening read on the state of education: "Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools," by Monique Morris.

Morris, she said, has worked for years with young girls of color, and this book gives "firsthand accounts of experiences of these young women in schools."

The book explores "how schools are sometimes not sensitive to what's going on at home," Cropper said. "[Schools] are quick to say: 'You're suspended for acting out, for this behavior.' But they don't know what's really going in the lives of these young women."

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Cropper said "Pushout" traces how factors at home "affect their ability to be at school, and be surrounded by the pressures of classmates, teachers, homework."

"We as a people, once we know what is going on, we know how we can better help them and serve them and be a better resource to them."

"Pushout" is now out in paperback.

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