roll of thunder hear my cry how does tj involvement with rw and melvin create a negative outlook

Cassie asks her mother why TJ would hang around with the Simms boys, and Mama tells her that they hang around with him to make themselves feel good and to use him. She says that TJ feels "important" hanging out with white boys. They are just using TJ so they can make fun of him and set him up for a crime that they have planned.