Just a non-racist observation, but in college (I went to state), whenever someone arrived to class late, over 75% of the time it was a black student. And blacks usually made up less than 10% of the class.
Another observation, without comment.
I took my professional licensing exam for engineering many years ago. Its a big deal...you have to get a degree, pass the exam to be an intern, be an intern for 5 years, and then pay a hundred bucks to take this final exam. Its only given twice a year in the state...and people drive from all corners of the state and stay in hotels, to take the exam the next day in one large room. Being late is unheard of. I was so paranoid about returning back from the lunch break late, that I packed a lunch and ate in the parking lot.
Anyway, like most standardized tests, at the magic hour, the doors are closed, and the test giver starts reading the rules and procedures.
Then we hear somebody try to pull the door open. Its locked...so now its a very loud pounding. Three people are let in...all late...causing the test giver to re-read the instructions and completely screwing up the time keeping/schedule. They were all black.
Seeing this piece makes me look back (and, subsequently have a dim view of their future)...
I also attended a state school— in a state with seven reservations and the two poorest counties in the USA. I was required to take INED0411 (Indian Education- senior level) as a college course twenty-five years ago. It’s main purpose was to tell me that I was to be accepting and appreciative of the several Indian (not Native American— professor didn’t seem to like the term but also had a fondness for the American Indian Movement) concepts. Among these were “Indian time” (showing up whenever— or not, and disappearing for days at a time, or expecting that deadlines were to be met), Tiospaye (everyone is cousin or auntie so I shouldn’t expect interaction with the student’s parents [or anyone] , a student could miss days of school “because grandma died” many times a year, and that homework could be shared), and “Indian Ways v White Ways” (cultural things like eye contact and confrontation is disrespectful, low mumbling is actually polite speech, parents [broad term] can discipline however they want, and that tribe and Indian concerns always took precedence over “white expectations).
I felt the class was doing everyone— but most especially Indian children— a huge disservice. Respect is important: Enabling is destructive. Later, working with too many native youth in the judicial system, I came to the opinion that the only chance that many of them had would be if they left their “family” and the reservation behind. Of course, the tribe fought tooth and nail to keep them in the same destructive cycle they were trapped in.
To build on your comment: When I was in high school whenever I was groped or obscenely propositioned it was 100% of the time a black male doing it.
And 100% of the time the teachers treated me as the problem for complaining about it.
I have in my syllabus and “Rules of Engagement” brief a clear statement that on-time arrivals are expected and regular late arrivals result in points taken away from assignments.
I also started to lock the door to the room. The sound of the handle turning and then the sound of a body bumping into the door with the subsequent knocking is funny. Once the door is locked, it is locked. You are late—you lose. Thing is, students that make an effort to arrive on time support locking the lazy out of the room.