Community activists said the recent murder of a Fenger High School honor student exposes a problem many teens face every day: safe passage to and from school. “I wonder how many more teens will be murdered while coming home from school,” said
Community activists said the recent murder of a Fenger High School honor student exposes a problem many teens face every day: safe passage to and from school.
“I wonder how many more teens will be murdered while coming home from school,” said Leonardo D. Gilbert, a Local School Council member in the Roseland community. “All this kid was trying to do was go home and it cost him his life. If we are going to save our children from violence we must make sure children have a safe way home from school.”
According to Chicago police, Derrion Albert, 16, was murdered after school on Sept. 24 while waiting for a bus to go home.
“He was not in a gang but in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Michael Shields, a retired Chicago police officer who now works as director of security for Chicago Public Schools.
President Barack Obama dispatched U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Attorney General Eric Holder to Chicago last week to meet with Fenger parents, students, staff and elected officials to see what assistance the federal government could lend Chicago to combat youth violence.
Duncan, who previously was the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, said watching the videotape beating of Albert was “terrifying, tragic and horrible for America to watch.”
He said other cities also face youth violence problems.
“Chicago is not alone when it comes to youth violence. When children are fearful they can’t learn,” he said. “That’s why it starts at home with the parents because it’s difficult to show love if you’ve never been loved.”
For its part, the federal government has allocated $500,000 to Fenger so they can buy more metal detectors, surveillance cameras and other security equipment. Duncan said the money is part of a $6 million grant to enhance security at high schools nationally.
Holder, the nation’s first Black U.S. Attorney General, said he has requested an additional $24 million as part of his 2010 budget to further fund community organizations to assist schools in providing after school programs and to help curb youth violence.
“Chicago organizations like Ceasefire can be of great benefit to schools and we want to make sure we have the funds to reach out to them for assistance,” Holder said. “We came to Chicago to find out first hand what is going on in our streets.”
Since Albert’s death there have been vigils, anti-violence marches and community meetings to discuss ways to keep children safe when traveling to school.
Rev. Jesse Jackson hosted another community forum Oct. 7 at the Altgeld Gardens public housing complex on the far South Side along with Ald. Anthony Beale, whose 9 Ward includes Altgeld Gardens.
Jackson heard countless testimonies from Fenger students who live in Altgeld and their daily journey to reach safe passage going and coming home from school.
“I am going to die anyway so until that day comes I am going to hold my own,” said William Jenkins, 16, a sophomore at Fenger. “Almost everyday I have to fight my way home because I get picked on because I live in the projects rather than the ‘hood.”
One girl explained how in 2008 she and her sister, both Fenger students, were attacked on a Chicago Transit Authority bus coming home.
“They (Fenger students) busted out the back windows of the bus, then came onto to the bus and sprayed mace in our faces,” Stephanie Patterson, 17, a senior, recalled. “The bus driver did nothing. School administrators did nothing when our parents told them and the police didn’t do anything but make out a report.”
Janell Cox, 17, a senior at Fenger, said there are some things that have happened at Fenger that kids should not have to witness.
“We go to school to learn, not to see violence or worse yet murder,” she said. “After you’ve seen so many of your friends get killed it starts to affect your ability to function in school and life. That is where many of us Altgeld kids are today.”
Jackson said Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Renaissance 2010 plan “was put in place to put Black people out of their schools.”
“It is not unreasonable for a parent to assume they will see their child (alive) when they get home from work,” Jackson explained. “Too many parents say good bye too soon to their kids when it should just be until they return home safely.”
______
Copyright 2009 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
About Post Author
