If there’s anything we’ve learned from the progressive triumphs of academic policymaking it’s that renaming things completely changes them. A rose by any other name would stink. Sanitation engineers are the enviable career path of every young boy. Sex workers are an admired aspirational profession. Criminals turned safe once they were renamed “justice involved persons”.
Terrorism ended when Obama renamed it “Man caused disasters”. And now, it’s time to rename “At Risk Youth”.
The term “at-risk youth” was commonly used in both penal and education codes in California – until now.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that went into effect on Jan. 1 that officially wiped the phrase from the state’s language. The phrase will now be replaced by “at-promise youth.”
We have always been at war with Oceania.
In California, there are 650 young people in operated juvenile centers – with 87 percent being black or Latino, according to the Division of Juvenile Justice.
Though the definition will stay the same, Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer says changing the language will change the whole meaning for young people like Cervantes.
“No educators, no law enforcement will no longer be able to call our young people who make a mistake ‘at-risk,’” Jones-Sawyer said. “We’re going to call them ‘at-promise’ because they’re the promise of the future.”
That guy mugging you in the street. He’s not at risk. You are. He’s at promise.
He promises to stab you if you don’t give him your money.
The bill received 66 “yes” votes in the Assembly and 34 “yes” votes in the Senate.
And California Democrats have his back. Not yours.
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