The Crime of being a 7-year-old boy

Int. Primary school classroom with a whiteboard and (Non-indigenous) newly qualified female teacher starts to write the date, 'Monday'.

Teacher: Good morning children, I will start by taking the attendance roll and I while I am setting up, I would like you to think back over your weekend and start to write a story about what happened in the past tense. Does anyone have any questions?

Class: No, Miss.

Teacher: Jolly good, you may start.

Students are seen sharpening their pencils and starting to write. One student picks his nose and another starts to pick at a scab on her knee. One Indigenous boy puts his hand up.

Beven: Miss, how do you spell 'Jury-dick-son'?

Teacher: Sorry, (Stuttering) what did you say?

Beven: 'Jury-dick-son'

Michael: (Laughing) Miss, I think he said, 'Dick'

Teacher: (Panicking and tripping over a desk) No, no, he didn't, at least I don't think he meant to say that. Shhh... Okay right... Everyone breathe and remember the mediation I taught you last week. 1-2-3... In and out... and again...one more time.

Michael: (Laughing) Miss, I think he said, 'Dick'

Teacher: Michael, do you want a detention?

Michael: No but, I didn't say it first – he did. Does he get a detention too? (Pointing to the Indigenous boy)

Teacher: Honey, why do you want to spell that word? What has that got to do with the story?

Beven: Miss, last night the police came out to our home and they had lots of paper and starting saying lots of words. I was trying to listen, well Mum told me to listen, but I kept looking around and everyone was looking at the police and my cousin was jumping around being a bit of clown which made me laugh and then my auntie was filming the police and it was all very strange.

Michael: (Laughing) You got busted by the police.

Teacher: Who did they want to see?

Beven: They wanted to talk to me and give me a ummm I think it's called a restraining order or something, but my mum said I am too young, but they said I'm not allowed within 20 metres or 100 metres of a neighbour's property.

Teacher: Beven, you're only 7-years-old you are too young to be cautioned or go to court.

Beven: It's because I'm indigenous Miss, the police locked my uncle up when he was just 6-years-old.

Teacher: Beven, what did you do for them to do this?

Michael: He was swinging a hammer around and threatening people.

Teacher: Michael, quiet! I wasn't asking you, I was asking Beven to explain.

Beven: No, Miss, I found a hammer because I wanted to fix a fence and then some other kids started to pick on me, so I yelled back.

Teacher: Did you tell the Police that?

Beven: No miss, they kept talking about leg-is-station and their 'Jury-dick-son' which made me feel scared because they were saying all these big words and I was trying really hard to listen, remember and I wanted to ask you what they meant.

Michael: Miss he said the naughty word again.

Teacher: Oh Micheal. Be quiet and write your story before you get a detention, he said jurisdiction. Here let me spell it on the broad.

Teacher writes on the whiteboard JURSIDICTION and LEGISATION

Molly: Miss, what do those words that mean?

Teacher: Well, I am not too sure, but I think jurisdiction is the powers that the police have to make decisions within the law for example the police can choose to caution you for doing the wrong thing if its within their jurisdiction or to simply talk to your grown-ups at home that will choose how to punish you instead.

Molly: Do you have any jurisdiction?

Teacher: No, I am not a police man. Sorry, I mean woman a police woman. And, legislation is the law which the government write and pass through the House of Parliament.

Molly: What's the House of Parliament?

Teacher: It's a government building where the politicians go to work and make rules for everyone to follow.

Molly: Miss, my Mum said you shouldn't talk about politics in school as a teacher because that's not your job as your job is to teach us how to write and read.

Teacher: (Smiles) Yes Molly, I agree with your Mother that teachers shouldn't talk about politics in the classroom; however, today we are listening to Beven's story about the police and their jurisdiction.

Beven: My Auntie said that it's unlawful to arrest a child under 10 is that right?

Teacher: Correct. According to legislation a child under the age of 10 should not be cautioned or arrested.

Molly: Miss, is Beven going to prison?

Micheal: (Stands up with his fist in the air and marches around the room chanting) Free George Floyd, Free George Floyd, ummm I mean Beven.

Beven: Miss, I'm scared.

Michael: Hashtag black lives matters. Hashtag free George and free Beven.

Teacher: Micheal, sit down and now you've lost your break time playtime.

Michael: Miss, why are you sending me to prison, is it because I'm black?

Sunni: Miss, do Asians have a hashtag?

Teacher: A hashtag? For what?

Sunni: For Asian lives?

Teacher: No.

Sunni: (Cries) Does my life not matter?

Teacher: Yes. It's just not a hashtag thing.

Sunni: Why not?

Teacher: Sunni, of course your life matters it's just not a protest thing, yet.

Molly: Sunni, it's because of the high number of black deaths in prison, so the hashtag movement was to help people meet up and get angry at the police.

Sunni: Thank you Molly.

Teacher: Yes, thank you Molly.

Beven: Miss, will I go to prison?

Teacher: I don't know? You are only 7.

Michael: My dad says that these days it is a crime to be a boy.

Molly: Miss, can we write a letter to the police to free Beven?

Teacher: Molly wait... Michael, why does your dad say that?

Michael: After his divorce, he said men always pay the price or do the time. He says he doesn't regret having me, though.

Molly: I think they call it 'an appeal'

Teacher: An appeal?

Molly: Can we? Can we write a letter to free Beven?

Teacher: Well, yes, maybe, no, I don't know. Where do you learn all of this from?

All Students Together: It's on TikTok!

Teacher: Breaktime. I need a strong cup of tea.

Students together: Free Beven!