A Virginian teen is set to stand trial for the alleged theft of a sixty-five cent carton of milk. Ryan Turk was a student at Graham Park Middle School on the day he forgot to grab a carton of milk, which he is entitled to for free under Virginia’s free lunch program. He dodged through the line, grabbed his milk and was accosted by the school’s resource officer. Despite his explanations to the contrary, the officer charged Turk with larceny.
According to the unnamed coward, otherwise known as the school resource officer, Turk became “disorderly” and pulled away from him. Ryan did pull away from the officer and told the media “I yanked away from him. I told him to get off of me because he’s not my dad.” The cop then handcuffed him in front of all of his classmates and dragged him to the principal’s office.
The elephant in the room, which no one wants to address, is the fact that Turk had a right to the milk in the first place. The officer went off, half-cocked, seemingly not caring about the facts. The idea that this case would even make it to a district attorney who agreed the case should be prosecuted, is absurd. The family is stating that this was another case of institutionalized racism. The school board defended the arrest as non-racially motivated, as the principal and the officer involved were also black. “All the key parties involved, including the principal and the police officer, are African American,” said Phil Kavitz, a county schools spokesperson. “The staff members are well known in our highly diverse community for their dedication and caring approach to all students.”
Race aside, the idea of jailing and potentially ruining the life of a bright student is appalling, on a human level. Kavitz also stated “The need for disciplinary action is determined by how a student behaves throughout any given incident.” Obviously, what he is saying is that because Turk stood up for himself and resisted the unlawful arrest, these actions are warranted. Kavitz still never addressed the fact that Turk had a right to the milk.
“No one needs to be punished for stealing a 65-cent carton of milk. This officer treats kids like they’re criminals and guess what happens – they’re going to become criminals,” stated the family lawyer, Emmet Robinson. Robinson will be in court with Turk at his trial, which is set for court in November. “I’m angry. I’m frustrated. I’m mad. It just went too far,” stated Ryan’s mom. “They are charging him with larceny, which I don’t have no understanding as to why he is being charged with larceny when he was entitled to that milk from the beginning.”
I think it’s obvious that if Ryan was white, we would have nothing to write about. It is atrocious that everyone down the line, from the cop to the principal to the judge and district attorney, are so blind to the problem of institutionalized racism. Turk was offered a plea deal, which he bravely turned down. Hopefully a jury of his peers will demonstrate a grasp of logic that no one else involved in the prosecution apparently possesses.
Sources: Cop Block, Washington Post.
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