The Fresh Prince syndrome | Matthew R. Morris | TEDxKitchenerED

I remember walking into one of my

I remember walking into one of my university classrooms at a very early

university classrooms at a very early

university classrooms at a very early day in September at the very beginning

day in September at the very beginning

day in September at the very beginning of my junior year I had just one of my

of my junior year I had just one of my

of my junior year I had just one of my chains on and a fitted cap slightly

chains on and a fitted cap slightly

chains on and a fitted cap slightly tilted to the back my drawings were

tilted to the back my drawings were

tilted to the back my drawings were fresh and the belt holding up my pants

fresh and the belt holding up my pants

fresh and the belt holding up my pants was somewhere around the middle of my

was somewhere around the middle of my

was somewhere around the middle of my Tommy boxers I hadn’t yet turn off the

Tommy boxers I hadn’t yet turn off the

Tommy boxers I hadn’t yet turn off the music that you could hear blasting

music that you could hear blasting

music that you could hear blasting through the headphones around my neck a

through the headphones around my neck a

through the headphones around my neck a milli a milli a milli I’m a young money

milli a milli a milli I’m a young money

milli a milli a milli I’m a young money million they’re tougher than Nigerian

million they’re tougher than Nigerian

million they’re tougher than Nigerian hair Lil Wayne was popping that year

hair Lil Wayne was popping that year

hair Lil Wayne was popping that year of course I strolled in late as usual I

of course I strolled in late as usual I

of course I strolled in late as usual I was merely repeating my regimen the

was merely repeating my regimen the

was merely repeating my regimen the patterns of my tried and tested high

patterns of my tried and tested high

patterns of my tried and tested high school routine that I developed and used

school routine that I developed and used

school routine that I developed and used to project and assert my identity by

to project and assert my identity by

to project and assert my identity by repeating these behaviors I felt that

repeating these behaviors I felt that

repeating these behaviors I felt that created a sense of self and also a sense

created a sense of self and also a sense

created a sense of self and also a sense of space within a classroom but a

of space within a classroom but a

of space within a classroom but a strange thing happened that day in

strange thing happened that day in

strange thing happened that day in university in fact had been happening

university in fact had been happening

university in fact had been happening for a little while pretty much since I

for a little while pretty much since I

for a little while pretty much since I began walking into university classrooms

began walking into university classrooms

began walking into university classrooms as a freshman see I will come to class

as a freshman see I will come to class

as a freshman see I will come to class late on a routine basis hat on still

late on a routine basis hat on still

late on a routine basis hat on still playing my music and passively looking

playing my music and passively looking

playing my music and passively looking around for attention yeah yeah I’m here

around for attention yeah yeah I’m here

around for attention yeah yeah I’m here it’s me get it the guy who doesn’t care

it’s me get it the guy who doesn’t care

it’s me get it the guy who doesn’t care about school now look at me make my

about school now look at me make my

about school now look at me make my entrance and please please tell me what

entrance and please please tell me what

entrance and please please tell me what I’m doing wrong

I’m doing wrong

I’m doing wrong I dared them in fact I thrived off of

I dared them in fact I thrived off of

I dared them in fact I thrived off of that type of interaction and these were

that type of interaction and these were

that type of interaction and these were the subconscious thoughts trickling

the subconscious thoughts trickling

the subconscious thoughts trickling through my 19 year old psyche as I

through my 19 year old psyche as I

through my 19 year old psyche as I twisted that doorknob and smugly walked

twisted that doorknob and smugly walked

twisted that doorknob and smugly walked to an open seat in the class but there

to an open seat in the class but there

to an open seat in the class but there is a difference I was experiencing

is a difference I was experiencing

is a difference I was experiencing between my high school days and now

between my high school days and now

between my high school days and now University the difference was that every

University the difference was that every

University the difference was that every time I now performed my presence no one

time I now performed my presence no one

time I now performed my presence no one seemed to care there are no looks of

seemed to care there are no looks of

seemed to care there are no looks of comical relief or supplanted

comical relief or supplanted

comical relief or supplanted appreciation from my peers or even

appreciation from my peers or even

appreciation from my peers or even hostile attention from the professor it

hostile attention from the professor it

hostile attention from the professor it felt as though the collective

felt as though the collective

felt as though the collective consciousness of the University room was

consciousness of the University room was

consciousness of the University room was whispering keep your damn head

whispering keep your damn head

whispering keep your damn head and wear your pants however you want

and wear your pants however you want

and wear your pants however you want whoever your name is we barely notice

whoever your name is we barely notice

whoever your name is we barely notice and hardly care in high school this

and hardly care in high school this

and hardly care in high school this performance would yield a completely

performance would yield a completely

performance would yield a completely opposite experience see back then

opposite experience see back then

opposite experience see back then finding my place within that school

finding my place within that school

finding my place within that school setting meant navigating it by

setting meant navigating it by

setting meant navigating it by indicating my need to belong to an urban

indicating my need to belong to an urban

indicating my need to belong to an urban black collective or to say it more

black collective or to say it more

black collective or to say it more simply embodying the hip-hop culture

simply embodying the hip-hop culture

simply embodying the hip-hop culture that I cherished the challenge is that

that I cherished the challenge is that

that I cherished the challenge is that the culture most urban black males

the culture most urban black males

the culture most urban black males ascribed to hip-hop culture is viewed as

ascribed to hip-hop culture is viewed as

ascribed to hip-hop culture is viewed as the opposite of implicit school culture

the opposite of implicit school culture

the opposite of implicit school culture hip-hop culture is viewed as the

hip-hop culture is viewed as the

hip-hop culture is viewed as the opposite of implicit school culture you

opposite of implicit school culture you

opposite of implicit school culture you see it’s not necessarily the history

see it’s not necessarily the history

see it’s not necessarily the history textbooks that aren’t reflective of our

textbooks that aren’t reflective of our

textbooks that aren’t reflective of our faces or the English assignments are

faces or the English assignments are

faces or the English assignments are silenced particular ways in which we

silenced particular ways in which we

silenced particular ways in which we make meaning but rather how schooling

make meaning but rather how schooling

make meaning but rather how schooling doubles down on media discourses about

doubles down on media discourses about

doubles down on media discourses about urban black males in hip-hop and the

urban black males in hip-hop and the

urban black males in hip-hop and the subsequent mechanisms that then foster

subsequent mechanisms that then foster

subsequent mechanisms that then foster our alienation from school in turn many

our alienation from school in turn many

our alienation from school in turn many black males react to the subjugation by

black males react to the subjugation by

black males react to the subjugation by passively rejecting the school as a

passively rejecting the school as a

passively rejecting the school as a whole look my high school had a no

whole look my high school had a no

whole look my high school had a no headgear policy so naturally I want my

headgear policy so naturally I want my

headgear policy so naturally I want my hat all the damn time I knew that the

hat all the damn time I knew that the

hat all the damn time I knew that the small instance of disrupting the school

small instance of disrupting the school

small instance of disrupting the school culture would garner attention and

culture would garner attention and

culture would garner attention and elicit that black male validation I was

elicit that black male validation I was

elicit that black male validation I was desperately trying to claim we had four

desperately trying to claim we had four

desperately trying to claim we had four periods a day and I will come late to

periods a day and I will come late to

periods a day and I will come late to every single one of them

every single one of them

every single one of them why because I knew that my teacher would

why because I knew that my teacher would

why because I knew that my teacher would say something to me that be able to

say something to me that be able to

say something to me that be able to either rudely retort or nonchalantly

either rudely retort or nonchalantly

either rudely retort or nonchalantly brush-off and once again assert my

brush-off and once again assert my

brush-off and once again assert my identity internally I was resisting a

identity internally I was resisting a

identity internally I was resisting a culture that was implicitly devaluing me

culture that was implicitly devaluing me

culture that was implicitly devaluing me Shu

Shu

Shu even when I did answer a question in

even when I did answer a question in

even when I did answer a question in class attributing my participation to my

class attributing my participation to my

class attributing my participation to my boys to the fact that I actually studied

boys to the fact that I actually studied

boys to the fact that I actually studied the content was the last thing I wanted

the content was the last thing I wanted

the content was the last thing I wanted to do as a high school kid see these

to do as a high school kid see these

to do as a high school kid see these small instances of getting attention for

small instances of getting attention for

small instances of getting attention for acting out were merely the validation I

acting out were merely the validation I

acting out were merely the validation I needed to be seen as you

needed to be seen as you

needed to be seen as you cool and black but even these subtle

cool and black but even these subtle

cool and black but even these subtle moments let me to feel slightly

moments let me to feel slightly

moments let me to feel slightly uncomfortable in that space you see the

uncomfortable in that space you see the

uncomfortable in that space you see the constant friction between attaining

constant friction between attaining

constant friction between attaining academic excellence and blackmail

academic excellence and blackmail

academic excellence and blackmail validation reveals an internal friction

validation reveals an internal friction

validation reveals an internal friction that implicitly suggests that once one

that implicitly suggests that once one

that implicitly suggests that once one does excel in academics

does excel in academics

does excel in academics it almost unfortunately feels like he’s

it almost unfortunately feels like he’s

it almost unfortunately feels like he’s abandoning part of his hip-hop culture I

abandoning part of his hip-hop culture I

abandoning part of his hip-hop culture I call this the Fresh Prince syndrome

call this the Fresh Prince syndrome

call this the Fresh Prince syndrome remember Will Smith on The Fresh Prince

remember Will Smith on The Fresh Prince

remember Will Smith on The Fresh Prince of bel-air he was the class clown the

of bel-air he was the class clown the

of bel-air he was the class clown the star of the basketball team the

star of the basketball team the

star of the basketball team the confidence suave talkin flirt and he was

confidence suave talkin flirt and he was

confidence suave talkin flirt and he was always fly instead of wearing his blades

always fly instead of wearing his blades

always fly instead of wearing his blades are like every other guy he turned his

are like every other guy he turned his

are like every other guy he turned his inside out to showcase his urban

inside out to showcase his urban

inside out to showcase his urban aesthetic style will represented that

aesthetic style will represented that

aesthetic style will represented that quintessential young urban black male

quintessential young urban black male

quintessential young urban black male and we could come up with a dozen more

and we could come up with a dozen more

and we could come up with a dozen more character traits about Will in The Fresh

character traits about Will in The Fresh

character traits about Will in The Fresh Prince but not one of them would embody

Prince but not one of them would embody

Prince but not one of them would embody what we idealize as the universal

what we idealize as the universal

what we idealize as the universal student The Fresh Prince syndrome is a

student The Fresh Prince syndrome is a

student The Fresh Prince syndrome is a benevolent ailment that plagues urban

benevolent ailment that plagues urban

benevolent ailment that plagues urban black males but wait for the kicker it’s

black males but wait for the kicker it’s

black males but wait for the kicker it’s caused by traditional schooling you see

caused by traditional schooling you see

caused by traditional schooling you see hegemonic schooling practices are set up

hegemonic schooling practices are set up

hegemonic schooling practices are set up in a way that’s meant to deceive and

in a way that’s meant to deceive and

in a way that’s meant to deceive and ultimately fail black boys in the long

ultimately fail black boys in the long

ultimately fail black boys in the long run school insidiously teaches urban

run school insidiously teaches urban

run school insidiously teaches urban black males to be less urban the things

black males to be less urban the things

black males to be less urban the things that hip-hop culture

that hip-hop culture

that hip-hop culture emphasized things like bravado and

emphasized things like bravado and

emphasized things like bravado and identity and being heard are squashed

identity and being heard are squashed

identity and being heard are squashed out in our classrooms we’re told that

out in our classrooms we’re told that

out in our classrooms we’re told that our modes of communication are

our modes of communication are

our modes of communication are illegitimate we’re reminded that the way

illegitimate we’re reminded that the way

illegitimate we’re reminded that the way we dress won’t be accepted once we get

we dress won’t be accepted once we get

we dress won’t be accepted once we get into the real world ultimately the

into the real world ultimately the

into the real world ultimately the school alienates urban black males

school alienates urban black males

school alienates urban black males creating a fractured authenticity and

creating a fractured authenticity and

creating a fractured authenticity and the black male subconsciously is

the black male subconsciously is

the black male subconsciously is internalizing this but listen there is a

internalizing this but listen there is a

internalizing this but listen there is a cure to this Fresh Prince syndrome if we

cure to this Fresh Prince syndrome if we

cure to this Fresh Prince syndrome if we consider the University space in

consider the University space in

consider the University space in relation to the high school one we may

relation to the high school one we may

relation to the high school one we may be able to come up with

be able to come up with

be able to come up with whew those remedies you see in

whew those remedies you see in

whew those remedies you see in university the performances that I

university the performances that I

university the performances that I enacted from high school were met

enacted from high school were met

enacted from high school were met completely differently in fact their

completely differently in fact their

completely differently in fact their performance that I had learned to enact

performance that I had learned to enact

performance that I had learned to enact when I did it in university it was met

when I did it in university it was met

when I did it in university it was met with indifference and you know what

with indifference and you know what

with indifference and you know what happened because of this I stopped using

happened because of this I stopped using

happened because of this I stopped using the school as a site to explicitly

the school as a site to explicitly

the school as a site to explicitly perform my black hood masculinity it

perform my black hood masculinity it

perform my black hood masculinity it didn’t change how I dressed or how I

didn’t change how I dressed or how I

didn’t change how I dressed or how I talked but it changed how I navigated

talked but it changed how I navigated

talked but it changed how I navigated that school space because the university

that school space because the university

that school space because the university is so lacks in everything outside of the

is so lacks in everything outside of the

is so lacks in everything outside of the actual academics I was able to truly be

actual academics I was able to truly be

actual academics I was able to truly be myself and focus on said academics so if

myself and focus on said academics so if

myself and focus on said academics so if we took the best of what the University

we took the best of what the University

we took the best of what the University site provides outside of the academics

site provides outside of the academics

site provides outside of the academics and took the best of what the high

and took the best of what the high

and took the best of what the high school space provides for a growing

school space provides for a growing

school space provides for a growing intellectual teenagers we may arrive at

intellectual teenagers we may arrive at

intellectual teenagers we may arrive at a space that retains and engages more

a space that retains and engages more

a space that retains and engages more urban black boys and it pushes out and

urban black boys and it pushes out and

urban black boys and it pushes out and we can start with a few simple things

we can start with a few simple things

we can start with a few simple things high schools must become more lacks with

high schools must become more lacks with

high schools must become more lacks with their explicit rules pertaining to

their explicit rules pertaining to

their explicit rules pertaining to implicit curriculum for example hats and

implicit curriculum for example hats and

implicit curriculum for example hats and particular dress codes constant

particular dress codes constant

particular dress codes constant surveillance and subtle monitoring

surveillance and subtle monitoring

surveillance and subtle monitoring immediately addressing lateness in front

immediately addressing lateness in front

immediately addressing lateness in front of an entire class autonomous teaching

of an entire class autonomous teaching

of an entire class autonomous teaching practices and stereotypical perceptions

practices and stereotypical perceptions

practices and stereotypical perceptions are all things that must go by the

are all things that must go by the

are all things that must go by the wayside if we truly want to foster young

wayside if we truly want to foster young

wayside if we truly want to foster young black geniuses and create spaces in

black geniuses and create spaces in

black geniuses and create spaces in which the performance of black

which the performance of black

which the performance of black masculinity is not taken up by these

masculinity is not taken up by these

masculinity is not taken up by these kids solely as a reaction to hegemonic

kids solely as a reaction to hegemonic

kids solely as a reaction to hegemonic resistance look I’m a teacher and as

resistance look I’m a teacher and as

resistance look I’m a teacher and as teachers I know that we must make sure

teachers I know that we must make sure

teachers I know that we must make sure our students are able to produce

our students are able to produce

our students are able to produce well-structured essays and understand

well-structured essays and understand

well-structured essays and understand the concepts of science and answer

the concepts of science and answer

the concepts of science and answer questions in geometry and algebra but

questions in geometry and algebra but

questions in geometry and algebra but perhaps more important than those things

perhaps more important than those things

perhaps more important than those things we must be able to personally connect

we must be able to personally connect

we must be able to personally connect with each and every one of our students

with each and every one of our students

with each and every one of our students in a way that validates everyone I like

in a way that validates everyone I like

in a way that validates everyone I like to call our best and brightest teachers

to call our best and brightest teachers

to call our best and brightest teachers culture blenders where student agency

culture blenders where student agency

culture blenders where student agency academic excellence and validation

academic excellence and validation

academic excellence and validation independent of superficial performances

independent of superficial performances

independent of superficial performances are the most pressing

are the most pressing

are the most pressing cultures that they push to establish and

cultures that they push to establish and

cultures that they push to establish and when it comes to our black boys when we

when it comes to our black boys when we

when it comes to our black boys when we really begin to consider the complicated

really begin to consider the complicated

really begin to consider the complicated politics of representation by

politics of representation by

politics of representation by understanding the ways in which black

understanding the ways in which black

understanding the ways in which black males refuse by whatever means to allow

males refuse by whatever means to allow

males refuse by whatever means to allow others to other them will be able to

others to other them will be able to

others to other them will be able to present a space in a schooling in which

present a space in a schooling in which

present a space in a schooling in which black masculinity is defined more so by

black masculinity is defined more so by

black masculinity is defined more so by a both/and dichotomy that considers the

a both/and dichotomy that considers the

a both/and dichotomy that considers the complexity of all identity this Fresh

complexity of all identity this Fresh

complexity of all identity this Fresh Prince syndrome has been an undiagnosed

Prince syndrome has been an undiagnosed

Prince syndrome has been an undiagnosed disease in our schools for decades if we

disease in our schools for decades if we

disease in our schools for decades if we make a few of these changes perhaps we

make a few of these changes perhaps we

make a few of these changes perhaps we could finally eradicate it thank you

could finally eradicate it thank you

could finally eradicate it thank you [Applause]