The Importance of Not Defining Children by Their Parents’ Circumstances
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One of the strongest messages to emerge from Queency’s story concerns the way society treats children and young adults whose parents are incarcerated.
These young people may face judgments about situations they did not create.
They may be asked intrusive questions.
They may feel embarrassed or isolated because others associate them with a parent’s legal problems.
Such stigma can be harmful.
A student’s identity should not be reduced to the circumstances of a family member.
Queency’s college graduation demonstrates why.
Her academic record reflects her own work.
Her ambition reflects her own choices.
Her future will be shaped by her continued effort, opportunities, and decisions.
Her father’s incarceration is part of her family story, but it does not define the entirety of who she is.
