From “Dropout to Doctorate: Breaking the Chains of Educational Injustice” By Terrence Lester, PhD
I’ve worked through much of my own pain and trauma to even understand all the inequities that were barriers to the educational goals in my life. The lack of stability in my home, as well as the social conditions and systemic factors of the time, profoundly contributed to my struggles in school. This, in turn, caused me to be ill-prepared for academics and affected how I felt around people. I was afraid – afraid of communicating with others because the violence itself caused me to withdraw – and unable to focus. This was not because I didn’t have the intellect for it but because it was hard to focus with trauma in the way. I question how you can truly be stable in school when you feel emotionally unstable at home and in the world around you.
Research shows that when children are exposed to violence, it disrupts feelings of safety and security and can cause fear to constantly be in the back of their minds. Researchers have examined how domestic violence exacerbates trauma, potentially leading to PTSD and a loss of trust in those around them. This research explains how such violence shows up cognitively. It can impede a child’s behavioral development, harm their emotional capacity to understand, and cause a disconnected experience in school settings. Also, trauma is not only violence based but consists of anything that can impact the emotional well-being of a child.