As the debates rage on concerning the Wake County school board, there are some who assert that race does not matter. However, I find myself outraged at the treatment of school board member Keith Sutton by officers of the Raleigh Police Department. According to witnesses, Sutton had come down on the floor to try to talk to protesters and encourage a sense of calm. Unfortunately, police officers grabbed Sutton and bound his hands behind his back to arrest him. Luckily, a school system official intervened and informed the officers that Sutton was a member of the board.
How could the officers have mistaken Sutton for a protester? Had he not been sitting up front behind the desk with the other board members during the meeting? It would appear that the officers paid attention only to Sutton's color, not his face or his seat in the room. Had one of the other male members of the school board been standing there, would the police officers have tried to arrest him? I sincerely doubt it.
The next time someone says, "Race doesn't matter," ask some of the officers with the Raleigh Police Department. You should also ask Keith Sutton.
