Pushout

By: Monique W. Morris

Narrated by: Kristyl Dawn Tift

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

Fifteen-year-old Diamond stopped going to school the day she was expelled for lashing out at peers who constantly harassed and teased her for something everyone on the staff had missed: she was being trafficked for sex. After months on the run, she was arrested and sent to a detention center for violating a court order to attend school. Just 16 percent of female students, black girls make up more than one-third of all girls with a school-related arrest.

The first trade book to tell these untold stories, Pushout exposes a world of confined potential and supports the growing movement to address the policies, practices, and cultural illiteracy that push countless students out of school and into unhealthy, unstable, and often unsafe futures. For four years, Monique W. Morris chronicled 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. Morris shows how, despite obstacles, black girls still find ways to breathe remarkable dignity into their lives in classrooms, juvenile facilities, and beyond.

©2016 Monique W. Morris (P)2016 Tantor

Critic Reviews

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

review

loved it as an MSW grad student it was very insightful. As an black woman I found the book easy to relate to. The narrator's tone and volume was perfect.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great content; horrible performance

I am very interested in the content of this text. However, the voice reading sounds like a computer which makes it very difficult to listen for long periods of time. I'd rather read the printed copy before wasting money on this audio book.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

An enjoyable read and a pleasant narration!

Would you listen to Pushout again? Why?

Yes. Because I am a teacher who is interested in the subject matter, Black Girls and Education.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The statistics were compelling. I was not aware of the rates at which girls are placed in juvenile detention and the impact of this institutionalization on the quality of their lives. It was also interesting to hear about the causes that led to the girls' placement.

What does Kristyl Dawn Tift bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I loved her characterizations. I usually listen to fiction and although this is a information-rich non-fiction book, the moments when the author included the girls and administrators' narratives were very engaging. Tift's character choices were very strong and I wanted to hear more.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not great in audiobook format

If you’re looking for something to listen to... this is not the book for you. It reads like a robot is reading the book... and it’s more of a textbook than a novel. So you feel like a computer is lecturing you on social justice. Really painful. I’m interested in the topic but I think it’s the kind of book you need to handle and skim/jump to the sections that most interest you.

loved it!

I couldn't stop listening! As a teacher this book males me want to help all these girls get the education they deserve!

Insightful and informative

As a father of 2 young black girls this book helps me help them deal with the outside worlds influences and how they can and will be perceived in life. The Indian was good often repetitive but relevant. Appendix A is a must use guide.

I understand now

I understand so much about why Black girls do things and behave certain ways which will make me a more empathetic educator. This book made me want to go do something about all of the injustice right now!

Necessary read for all educators

This should be standard reading for all educators, especially those serving disenfranchised youth. I will also be buying the printed version.