Pushout - by Monique W Morris (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

In a work that Lisa Delpit calls imperative reading, Monique W. Morris (Black Stats, Too Beautiful for Words) chronicles the experiences of Black girls across the country whose intricate lives are misunderstood, highly judged--by teachers, administrators, and the justice system--and degraded by the very institutions charged with helping them flourish. Called compelling and thought-provoking by Kirkus Reviews, Pushout exposes a world of confined potential and supports the rising movement to challenge the policies, practices, and cultural illiteracy that push countless students out of school and into unhealthy, unstable, and often unsafe futures.

Called a book for everyone who cares about children by the Washington Post, Morris's illumination of these critical issues is timely and important (Booklist) at a moment when Black girls are the fastest growing population in the juvenile justice system. Praised by voices as wide-ranging as Gloria Steinem and Roland Martin, and highlighted for the audiences of Elle and Jet right alongside those of EdWeek and the Leonard Lopate Show, Pushout is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page (Bookish).

Review Quotes

"The personal stories at the heart of the author's discussion create a compelling study that puts a human face on both suffering and statistics...Morris' book offers both educators and those interested in social justice issues an excellent starting point for much-needed change. A powerful and thought-provoking book of social science."
--Kirkus

"Morris's work, buttressed by appalling statistics and scholarly studies, is supplemented by two useful appendices...and a list of community resources."
--Publishers Weekly

"A thoughtful appendix offers numerous questions and answers for girls and young women, parents, the community, and educators. Timely and important."
--Booklist

A powerful indictment of the cultural beliefs, policies, and practices that criminalize and dehumanize Black girls in America, coupled with thoughtful analysis and critique of the justice work that must be done at the intersection of race and gender.
--Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow

If you ever doubted that Supremacy Crimes--those devoted to maintaining hierarchy--are rooted in both sex and race, read Pushout. Monique Morris tells us exactly how schools are crushing the spirit and talent that this country needs.
--Gloria Steinem

This book is imperative reading, not only for educators and those in the justice system but--perhaps especially--for anyone who loves and sleeps down the hall from a young, developing African American woman.
--Lisa Delpit, author of "Multiplication Is for White People" and Other People's Children

A dynamic call to action. Black girls' exposure to being pushed out of school and set on paths to incarceration, physical and economic insecurity, and social marginality is so movingly set forth by Morris that it can no longer be ignored. Pushout is essential reading for all who believe that Black lives matter.
--Kimberlé Crenshaw, co-editor of Critical Race Theory and co-author of the reports "Say Her Name" and "Black Girls Matter"

At a moment when footage of institutional assaults on young Black men emerges with a horrifying regularity comes a timely and indispensable look at the often invisible oppression of girls of color. Pushout blazes with the voices of young women fighting for their dignity, safety, and the fundamental right to a future.
--Nell Bernstein, author of Burning Down the House and All Alone in the World

Despite increased attention to the mass and over-incarceration of Black men, the plight of criminalized Black women and girls is overlooked, underreported, and underanalyzed. Finally, a compelling narrative that tells us the heartrending story of how schools are culpable in re-victimizing some of our most vulnerable citizens. This is a must-read for educators, juvenile justice officials, parents, and the entire community.
--Gloria Ladson-Billings, Kellner Family Distinguished Chair in Urban Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Morris's sharp analysis and the compassionate way she contextualizes these stories will surely compel readers to take action against the injustices that Black girls experience in schools and beyond.
--Beth E. Richie, author of Arrested Justice

Praise for Monique Morris:
Monique Morris is a fearless and brilliant intellectual. Her groundbreaking work illuminates the pernicious challenges at the intersection of race and gender for African American girls in our education and criminal justice systems, and speaks directly and powerfully into the current moment.
--Sherrilyn Ifill, President of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and author of On the Courthouse Lawn

Praise for Black Stats:
"Thank you Monique Morris for this gift of knowledge."
--Susan L. Taylor, editor in chief emeritus of Essence magazine

Black Stats has become my go-to source...
--Patrick Henry Bass, Essence Magazine

Morris carries forward the best of the Du Boisian social science and progressive tradition.
--Khalil Gibran Muhammad, from the introduction to Black Stats

Black Stats disallows for lingering inequalities to be camouflaged...
--Utne

About the Author

Monique W. Morris is President/CEO of Grantmakers for Girls of Color and co-founder of the National Black Women's Justice Institute. She is an award-winning author, filmmaker, and social justice scholar-advocate. Her books include Black Stats and Sing a Rhythm, Dance a Blues.