Whatcha gonna do?

Bad Boys: Public Schools in the Making of Black Masculinity by Ann Arnett Ferguson. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 2000. 272 pages. ISBN 0-472-11103-5.

In Bad Boys, Ann Ferguson describes how schools as institutions create, shape, and regulate social identities. She focuses on African-American males, who, according to Ferguson, are tracked to become inmates in prisons just as other children are tracked to become doctors, teachers, fastfood workers, and so on. The book is designed to reveal an interaction between institutional structure and individual actions. In its pages, Ferguson describes and analyzes the disciplinary system of schools and their practices of labeling and categorizing that construct an image of a specific group of boys as individuals with behavioral problems. Ferguson also explores how the boys compensate for these practices by redeveloping a sense of self. They redefine themselves-despite extremely difficult working conditions and an institutional structure that devalues this effort-as competent individuals worthy of attention. They do this by getting into trouble.

To show that race, gender, and class make a difference in a child's experiences at school, Ferguson cites many sources that illustrate that African-American males are disciplined more often than any other group of students. She indicates that the discipline occurs not because they deserve the discipline but because they are labeled "bad" due to skin color. African-American males are singled out and never excused for their behaviors with a "boys will be boys" attitude, as are their European-- American peers. Instead, they fall victim to a variety of negative stereotypes; sadly, their teachers are the ones contributing to this situation.

It should be noted, however, that Ferguson's cited statistics are misleading. She does not identify the school or schools she has studied, and the reader is never given a reference to verify the statistics. Ferguson uses the phrase "according to the statistics" three times (46), but she offers no back-up evidence. One could reasonably come to the conclusion that the author may be writing a biased opinion and simply asserting that it was based on statistics. By offering verification of these statistics, Ferguson would have added great credence to her statements.

Through interviews, observations, participation in activities with the boys, and by visiting their homes, Ferguson explores interaction between the school and the boys. This interplay is best expressed by the author with this observation: "Race is a highly contested, inflammatory, politically charged category. School adults interpret public assertion of race identification by kids as rude, disruptive, and illegitimate, as personal attacks on their own probity. Kids bring feelings of anger and frustration about racial inequality gleaned from personal experience, from family, neighborhood, television, movies, and popular music to decipher struggles with authority figures" (199).

Bad Boys is a book with something very important to say. It should be read by educators who wish to understand better how schools and society-at-large treat young African-American males. In addition, this book will give educators a glimpse at how schools, through adult perceptions, may be shaping lives forever in ways that may not be to the student's or even society's advantage.

The reviewer, John W. Dougherty, is Professor of Education at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. His research interests include middle school education, school administration, classroom management and at-risk students, and educational leadership. Dr. Dougherty is a member of the Tau Phi Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi.

Copyright Kappa Delta Pi Fall 2001
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