Hello, my name is Oryia Brown, and I am from Rochester, NY. I would like to share my suspension story with you all.    

On April 7th, me and my family sustained a house fire. I lost everything that made me me. Everything I grew up with – it felt like losing something more than a house, it felt like losing a family member. I was now homeless, hopeless, shaken and fearful. I did not know what was next for me or my family.  By the grace of god, we were covered and could stay in a hotel, but it still was not home.  

On April 11th I went back to school and everyone knew my situation. I remember sitting at the lunch table and some of my closest friends asking me if I was okay and how was I holding up. I said I was fine, but I really didn’t wanna talk about it. Lunch was ending and these two girls I already had a problem with for years now walked in. They walked past and made an uncomfortable and inappropriate comment about me, so I decided to confront them about it the next period. I asked them if they might have some understanding and please stop messing with me because my life was already down, and I wasn’t even good mentally. Before we could even finish talking one of the girls hit me on the top of my head and sad to say that’s when all hell broke loose. We were then fighting. I could feel my blood pressure so high my heart was beating fast. Some of the things they said I did I don’t even remember. It all was just a blur.  

After everything calmed down, they told me I was suspended. I had to wait a little while before I knew how long I was suspended, but we soon were attending a hearing. I remember it feeling like I was on trial, like I was a criminal. I remember it feeling unfair. They used words like “charges” and “community service.” Everything felt vindictive. They told me I would be suspended for 140 days and that we would have another hearing to discuss shortening the suspension later on. During those 140 days, I went through more than anybody should have to. I lost family members back-to-back, I lost contact with my friends, and I faced depression and suicidal thoughts. 

I’ve seen people I love at their lowest, and it seemed like nobody cared and nobody took the time to ask what was going on. But when they needed Black excelling students to be the face of the school and be presented to the school board and the news, I mattered. That’s when they took the time to make sure I was prepared, they made sure I was good. Basically, I was used but when it came down to having my back and speaking on my character it was silent. One mistake like this should not take away and take advantage of my education, my social life, and who I am, but it did, and it has impacted me.  

By the time I could go back to school I didn’t even want to. I missed the first day and went back the middle of the school year so I was a “new student.” I didn’t talk to my friends, I didn’t understand anything being taught, I didn’t wanna talk to the counselors, and I didn’t wanna be in the building. I’ve lost encouragement, I’ve lost my sense of stability, and I’ve lost me through all of this. For the people looking from the outside, this may just seem like a suspension but for me looking from the inside, this is my life. The suspension was just a part of it and so many things factor into that that nobody sees, but it’s played a big part in my life. 

So just imagine how many kids who are getting suspended from school for bad behavior or fighting or altercations or for whatever reason – it may be the problems they face at home, the things they see at home, or even just the things they’ve been through. Take it into consideration and have a little empathy because you would want someone to have some for you. As a high schooler and a teenager, there will definitely be more mistakes along this road. Instead of suspensions, let’s find solutions. All the time put into making a suspension plan needs to be put into a solution plan. I’ve faced many defeats alone this year, but I will not allow them to defeat me, and many other students have too so don’t let our mistakes defeat us, just help us. We all need someone to give us chances no matter how badly we mess up. 

I would like to leave you with two quotes from Nelson Mandela:  

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb – a long walk to remember.”   

“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others.”  

There will always be a child or a teen who messes up not once but multiple times but it is up to all of us to help each other. Mistakes don’t deserve to dictate your life or your character and should never impact your education. Mistakes only deserve to be found solutions, positive ones. Thank you for your time and thank you for listening. 

To learn more about the Solutions Not Suspensions campaign in New York, please visit: Solutions Not Suspensions 

To read The Children’s Agenda’s report on commonsense reforms to school discipline, please visit: School-Discipline-Reform-Brief.pdf