Yet another highschooler was a victim of police violence for vaping. Keitherine Williams, a black, special-needs student, was beaten and arrested for vaping in his highschool’s restroom.
Once Keitherine was released from his jail cell, he was limping and had a swollen face. When taken to urgent care, the doctor reported that his injuries were the result of blunt force trauma across his body.
Regina Williams, Keitherine’s legal guardian, managed to view part of the surveillance video while meeting with the school. She says she saw several people on top of Keitherine, and an officer placing a knee on her nephew’s back and neck.
"It's wrong for anybody to brutalize, to slam, to hurt any kid at school. We send our kids to school to be safe, not to come home hurt just because of a vape,” she said.
When children who have never been addicted to cigarettes take up vaping, it is never a good thing. Nicotine addiction is difficult to overcome, and not something students should have to worry about. However, the penalty for vaping should not be violence against children, let alone violence severe enough to warrant a visit to urgent care.
One of the major concerns about an upcoming menthol ban is the possibility of increased violence among Black vapers and smokers, as menthol is most popular among Black smokers and vapers. However, despite Black people making up a minority of vapers, they have been the most prolific victims of police brutality due to the vape ban - a sign that those concerns are rooted in very real situations.
References:
Student who has special needs was bruised and battered during high school arrest
'Marked disparities' in youth tobacco use by race and ethnicity
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