Get Schooled

By b. white

September 23, 2005 11:40 AM | Link to this

I taught in Birmingham City Schools for many years. It was not unusual for gun shots to ring out during a game. The teams on the field immediately as trained to do dropped and rolled off the field. The stands cleared fast. Metal detectors and policeman were standard order after that at each entry gate at each ballgame. Sad that such a fun activity has been turned into an arena for retaliation.

By Teacher

September 23, 2005 12:04 PM | Link to this

Clayton County…is anyone surprised? Any excuse to fire a gun is a good one, I don’t think it has anything to do with rivalry in this case. It has to do with an opportunity, lots of people, and a chance to escape.

I do think, however, that rivalries have gotten out of control in some cases. I teach at a rural school and there are a couple of games we are discouraged from going to due to violence. It is a shame that something that is supposed to be fun and cummunity oriented has turned into something to fear.

By Marcia

September 23, 2005 12:10 PM | Link to this

Wow. We had some very intense rivalries when I was in high school but gun shots? I’d wager that most of the troublemakers don’t even attend the schools that are playing.

By Jake

September 23, 2005 12:16 PM | Link to this

Apparently not in parts of Clayton and Dekalb counties. I’ve been to four games this year at places like Blessed Trinity, East Paulding, and Dalton, and they’ve been great family events for the communities. Those Catholic school kids at BT were pretty wild, but I don’t think they were packing.

By Ernest

September 23, 2005 12:19 PM | Link to this

I agree with the sentiments expressed thus far, it’s a shame that some use gatherings such as athletic events to ‘act up’. Heck, I recently saw parents jawing at one another at a recent pee-wee league football game recently. I found myself fearful that it would escalate into something else. All this over a game…

Regarding the Chris Rock sitcom, I did watch it. In a way, it reminded me of “The Wonder Years” but with an urban edge. It was interesting hearing his mothers comments regarding going to a white school because I’ve heard the same most of my life. I’ve lived the “your daddy gets the biggest piece of chicken’. In fact, I’ve passed that on to my kids :). I give this show two thumbs up.

By HStchr

September 23, 2005 12:32 PM | Link to this

I taught for a lot of years in Clayton county and left just as it was being overrun by gangs and violence. It is sad indeed when I used to take my children to football games for entertainment. Now it’s about survival. Once again we see what happens when a school system led by fools decimates an area. And it isn’t about race as much as it is about a culture of gang domination and violence that we allow in this country. I left Clayton gladly and wouldn’t go back for all the money in this world. I drive through it without stopping these days!!

By NotACynic

September 23, 2005 12:46 PM | Link to this

Clayton County and their schools are a joke. What kind of life is that? Even Chris Rock wouldn’t live in that place. The rivalries have nothing to do with sports.

By Mirrah

September 23, 2005 12:58 PM | Link to this

I was afraid to let my husband take my son to the Brookwood vs. Meadowcreek fiasco because Brookwood’s star used to attend Meadowcreek last year. I was sure that besides the expected chants of “Traitor”, that some Creek fans would pull out guns. It turns out that nothing happened - but, I was genuinely concerned.

As far as the Chris Rock show - it is really funny and true. I was bussed to a “White” school and those kids hated me for being Black, and then when I got home - my neighborhood “friends” hated me for going to a “White” school! I felt his pain!

By Lisa

September 23, 2005 12:59 PM | Link to this

Until we get the family back in order you will continue to have our young men bitter and emotional neglected in who they are and what they want to be as a man.it really surprise me the society does not view this as the ultimate problem.we have generation of men who never even told there son i love you or even took part in rasing there kids at all, in the African American race this problem goes all the way back to the plantation days.we must break this curse and view thing for what it really is.my heart goes out to any single parent meaning male or female who is rasising kids alone, we as farther and mother are both a valueable asset to our children lives and kids need us for proper guidance from parent who are already damage emotionally from past hurt as a child.i myself who is rasing my family single handly understand the seriouness in this matter they call generational curse! and i just thank God for showing me the root problem and allowing me to face my past hurt so i can stop the repeating teaching which wasn’t always right to continue to be pass along to my kids.I know for a lot of the young men and young lady not just in Clayton but all over they just really are the product of the tree that produce them which are the fruit. we must wake and realize that we as parents have the key to stop the madness we just need to clam them.Peace unto all.

By Jake

September 23, 2005 01:01 PM | Link to this

Somehow I doubt that the school system led by fools decimated the area. I would think that is more of an effect than a cause. Hard to attract and retain many good teachers and administrators in violent poverty stricken communities.

By Scott

September 23, 2005 01:22 PM | Link to this

First off I was born, raised, and educated in Clayton county with my two younger sisters in the 80’s and 90’s. My mother was a teacher in Clayton county for 10 years at the very elementary school that me and my sisters attended. We saw a nice working class county with EXCELLENT schools slowly transformed into some inner city slum. It pains me and my family to see the way Clayton county has turned into such a violent, dirty, drug infested, county. Every person that I grew up with fleed the oncoming storm of violence and eventually my mother left the school that she loved so much. The bottom line here is that Clayton once was a nice place to live and now 90% of its former residents don’t even won’t to admit that we grew up there!!

By RF

September 23, 2005 01:32 PM | Link to this

Jake, if you had been there, you would know how much the school system’s leadership contributed to the current problem. Not all, but at least some of the blame lies there with ineffective leadership and the message it sent to the community. Many good teachers, myself included, who didn’t mind the changing demographics, wouldn’t have left so soon if the leadership hadn’t created such a negative environment to work in. The changing population brought a host of problems with it, and the school system simply was too busy working on internal buddy promotions to see that they needed to try to keep us there and keep the schools working hard. Most teachers left because of the negativity and back stabbing, not because of the kids.

By HStchr

September 23, 2005 01:37 PM | Link to this

Amen, RF— The changing population influenced me as a parent and teacher. But it was the crazy board and superintendent choices that iced the decision to leave. Some friends of mine who stayed have been soooo unhappy. And not about the kids as much as the nuts that have taken over key positions and pushed people out of jobs down there.

By ADL

September 23, 2005 01:47 PM | Link to this

Not all bad activity comes from poverty stricken communities.

In my county, the new high school for the rich kids has the most violence and drug problems.

By dan

September 23, 2005 01:51 PM | Link to this

ADL, What county is that??????

By ADL

September 23, 2005 01:52 PM | Link to this

Douglas

By HStchr

September 23, 2005 01:56 PM | Link to this

last I heard, Chapel Hill HS was pretty bad into drugs, and it’s a fairly wealthy area. But I will say the drugs don’t always bring overt violence as well. Many wealthy schools, and in fact most high schools, have issues with drugs. The guns and violence seem to be a byproduct of the tendency towards physical response to a problem brought on by poverty and gangs. Douglas county doesn’t have a large gang population…at least not yet.

By dan

September 23, 2005 01:58 PM | Link to this

Seems like a blanket statement. Do they have gun shots at there football games????? Man, how do they keep the kids there if all the violence and drugs are at that school????

By RF

September 23, 2005 02:02 PM | Link to this

Not that I’ve heard about. Clayton seems to be the hotbed for that lately.

By ADL

September 23, 2005 02:02 PM | Link to this

That is true HStchr, there really isn’t a gang problem, yet. They are installing metal detectors at Douglas County High School next year though. I can’t see them spending the money on those unless they think it is or will be necessary

By HStchr

September 23, 2005 02:10 PM | Link to this

ADL—kinda makes you wonder when we’ll end up with them at every school in the state. I wonder what the parents at some of the more affluent schools would think about that.

By ADL

September 23, 2005 02:15 PM | Link to this

Well HStchr…I’m sure they will think how happy they are their kids don’t attend those schools.

I’m afraid a lot of the parents of the kids that do attend those schools won’t even care.

By FormerStudent

September 23, 2005 02:23 PM | Link to this

I attended Clayton County Schools from K-8th grades. As a middle school cheerleader, I can remember having police escorts when we traveled to certain schools within the county. One school in the northern part of the county sliced our brake lines. Glad to see that things have really improved in 13 years. Way to go, Clayton! Make us proud!

By NotACynic

September 23, 2005 02:25 PM | Link to this

HStchr - parents at some of the more affluent schools don’t put up with that crap. We’ll move. Period.

By HStchr

September 23, 2005 02:29 PM | Link to this

NotACynic—exactly why I moved and left Clayton when I did. I’m just thankful I had the mobility to do that. And you know, you’d think parents everywhere would raise a rukkus when violence like this happens in the schools. Sure seems logical to me…

By ADL

September 23, 2005 02:36 PM | Link to this

Unfortunately, that isn’t the case in a lot of schools. The kids go to school because they have to and the parents are glad the kids are out of the house.

By James McCoy

September 23, 2005 02:37 PM | Link to this

Patti:You really got a knick for picking hot button issues,maybe instead of the whining these frayers do they would get off of their butts and demand from their elected officals,better schools and security. But then again I live in the real world it ain’t gone too happen until some rich white kid gets hurt or killed!

By PosterChild

September 23, 2005 02:41 PM | Link to this

James, I don’t think there are any rich white kids (or many poor ones for that matter) in Clayton County, so don’t hold your breath.

By Patti Ghezzi

September 23, 2005 02:42 PM | Link to this

Well, James, on Monday I am planning - barring breaking news - to tread into a hot-button territory I never thought I would want to touch. For a hint, check out today’s editorial page.

I try to pick issues that will engage Get Schooled readers, and bring out honest, unfiltered comments. Some people say they don’t want to read negative comments, but I think there is value in knowing where people are coming from.

I have learned a lot, especially about the animosity between teachers and parents and the ripple effect of a perception that a school is unsafe.

Patti

By HStchr

September 23, 2005 03:07 PM | Link to this

Patti— It will be interesting to see Monday’s topic in light of the editorials today. I have a feeling that will bring out the fervor in this blog.

As a teacher, I’m glad, in a way, that you are seeing the animosity that often rears it’s ugly head when we debate education. I’ve always wondered at what point it became “us against them” between parents and educators. It isn’t always easy dealing with parents these days.

By Ernest

September 23, 2005 04:05 PM | Link to this

Fellow bloggers:

I just heard that all schools in the state will close Monday and Tuesday (9/26-27) per the Governors office because of the impending gas shortage. I’m trying to verify the accuracy of this now so don’t take this as official yet. I understand there was a press release that came out at 2:45 today. More after I research this.

By b. white

September 23, 2005 04:32 PM | Link to this

No school Monday and Tuesday - offical. I’m a teacher.

By C.R.H.

September 23, 2005 04:59 PM | Link to this

From my VERY personal experience Chapel Hill HS doesn’t have the problems to the extent that ADL has indicated. The demographics are changing but please…get a grip!