Thoughts of a Ghetto Scatterbrain: The EP

By Taquan Stewart

Thoughts of a Ghetto Scatterbrain: The EP was inspired by frustration. Each piece/chapter was motivated by actual experiences that exposed "urban" schools as the great hills that they are, while Stewart played Sisyphus. But, his self-aggrandizing was simply attempting to remedy the ills of his schools.Scatterbrain begins with "January 1," a follow-up to Derrick Bell's Space Traders chapter from Faces at the Bottom of the Well. January 17, 2007 marks the seventh year since 12 percent of the market has left the country in search of a new life on another star.Next, "Emancipation Obstacle" also continues where Bell left off by examining a referendum that found the United States giving up its African Americans. This iteration examines Day 12, when the Supreme Court refused to intervene in aggressive appeals to the referendum because if African-Americans were released to the custody of the Space Traders, then the United States' free and cheap prison labor - from African-Americans in particular - would be lost.The "Exorcism of Pazuzu" is a creative venting session that examines the role of schooling in democracy and citizenship. It draws parallels between personal thoughts and experiences with racism/white supremacy and the film The Exorcist.To wind down, "What's in a Name?" is another venting session looking at hegemonic proclivities and their relationship to oppression and morality. "Snatched" finds a Black principal's body being overtaken by his dead white friend in order to regain his moral compass and stay true to himself. "Love and Concern" is a series of reflections that capture moments as a classroom teacher that haven't quite been released. And, finally, "She Love Me, She Loves Me Not" is a remix of "What's in a Name?" in the guise of an interracial love story.And like any EP, interludes hold each piece together at the seams.Thoughts of a Ghetto Scatterbrain will move you, one way or the other.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1520935307
• ISBN13: 9781520935300
• Release Date: February 2017
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.4" x 5.3"