http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/03/16/columbus-school-board-seeks-help-to-prevent-violence.html
This article speaks to the emotional reactions to all of the gang violence that has been occurring recently in Columbus. With spring break approaching quickly, the Columbus Board of Education has been trying to come up with a plan for the community to keep the kids "safe and alive".
Mary Jo Hudson (board member) said,“We find out almost immediately whenever there’s an act of violence against one of our students,” she continued to say, “It’s sickening. It has to stop. We can’t just chalk it up to being an urban district.”
The plans for safe activities for the students to be involved in during the ten day spring break will be presented to the students. There is also a Community in Crisis Summit (hosted by the Columbus Education Association) that will discuss solution to violence.
“I just want to reiterate ... most of our kids will tell you that the place they feel safest is in our buildings.” Ramona Reyes (Board member) afraid the community thinks students feel unsafe in schools. I think this is a great point, which is why I love what they are doing even more with helping students find safe activities during spring break.
The article discusses how violence stems from poverty and lack of opportunity. I found this interesting because within the issue of violence we are defining another issue. If could magically fix poverty, would violence go away?
I am not sure violence would be fixed by fixing poverty. People have different personalities and there will always be disagreement whether on the streets or in the Country Club. I have to say that Christmas break, Spring Break and Summer Break are the hardest times for me while working in a school. I have a very hard time sending some of the kids home because like the article says, school is where they are the safest. They are being supervised and fed and given attention and structure. Many kids don't have that at home and unfortunately, I don't think for many that taking poverty away would necessarily take away all of the violence.
ReplyDeleteI think this article makes an important point about how kids feel safe IN the schools. That shows that schools are doing a good job of making the place of learning also a safe place. However, it is devastating and frightening to think about these kids who feel so safe at school going home for breaks. Makes me wonder if our schools could be doing more to provide break camps/programs. To continue providing a safe place throughout the entire year. I know there are many pieces and parts that would go into this but I do wonder if providing the safe and positive support for kids could impact the violence we see.
ReplyDeleteI think it is fantastic that the community is trying to put programs in place to provide safe activities for school children during spring break. It is an excellent idea with good intentions at its core. However, I cannot help but wonder about how much of an impact it will really make. I think for some, it has the chance of making a difference. But, we should consider the population to which it is targeting which is often times families that are involved in multiple systems, experience a great deal of adversity, and face many barriers. It is probably my very pessimistic view from my child services experience speaking, but I know that the families I work with in that role (where there are kids that are very much at need) are often unmotivated to pursue such services and utilize those types of community intervention. Again I state, there is a sample of the school community that I think this program can serve very well and provide families with an safe outlet for activity; but those other considerations should be taken into account as well to figure out how to reach those that usually would not take advantage of such programming.
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