high school 101
Peeling paint. Hair extensions strewn across the walkway. Empty cans on the street, and the hallways. Broken lockers. And yes ... the metal detectors. No cell phones on the property, and did I mention that you can't drink the water - its chock-full-of lead.
Welcome to a D.C. Public School.
It's hard enough having a conversation about genocide with your peers, or with activists - people who recognize the problem; but try talking about genocide to kids that may have already witnessed grave injustices in front of their eyes. How does one get someone immune from violence to recognize that there is a grave violence that exists, but that there is something they can do - and that its up to them to do something about it?
In answer to the question - where in the world is genocide happening today, one girl said, "shoot, right here in sou' eeas." Well, do you think that we should do something about it - "man nobody lookin' out for anybody but me ... I'll stand up for me." In response, someone said - "whatcha goin' do for yourself if you'z dead." I had to pause, and let them continue their banter - because I didn't know how to get them to relate. These kids see violence around them all the time. The metal detectors and the police patrolling the corridors are there to make sure that a discussion doesn't go awry, leading to someone getting shot. What do you say when, in response to the question - aren't you scared if someone came up to you and said they were gonna kill you, they say - no.
How do you convince a generation that is so jaded that writting a letter to their congressman, or to the President could make a difference? They look at me like I'm crazy, and say "we could write to the President, but then there's lead in our water - why'd he care - they don't listen."
Its incredibly difficult to transfer the careful optimism that we cultivate, and protect from the elements - and from the constant negativity that surrounds us, into kids that are struggling to deal with their own problems - especially when the issues we bring before them, are so much bigger and more daunting - but are so far removed. How do you make them care about little children in Africa, or Iraq, or Kashmir ... when they're fighting their own battles here at home - in our nations capital no less.
The most powerful city in the world - packed into 70 odd square miles. World leaders gather less than 5 miles away from this high school, over cocktails and bottled Perrier - while these kids are drinking water pumped full of lead.
Welcome to a D.C. Public School.
It's hard enough having a conversation about genocide with your peers, or with activists - people who recognize the problem; but try talking about genocide to kids that may have already witnessed grave injustices in front of their eyes. How does one get someone immune from violence to recognize that there is a grave violence that exists, but that there is something they can do - and that its up to them to do something about it?
In answer to the question - where in the world is genocide happening today, one girl said, "shoot, right here in sou' eeas." Well, do you think that we should do something about it - "man nobody lookin' out for anybody but me ... I'll stand up for me." In response, someone said - "whatcha goin' do for yourself if you'z dead." I had to pause, and let them continue their banter - because I didn't know how to get them to relate. These kids see violence around them all the time. The metal detectors and the police patrolling the corridors are there to make sure that a discussion doesn't go awry, leading to someone getting shot. What do you say when, in response to the question - aren't you scared if someone came up to you and said they were gonna kill you, they say - no.
How do you convince a generation that is so jaded that writting a letter to their congressman, or to the President could make a difference? They look at me like I'm crazy, and say "we could write to the President, but then there's lead in our water - why'd he care - they don't listen."
Its incredibly difficult to transfer the careful optimism that we cultivate, and protect from the elements - and from the constant negativity that surrounds us, into kids that are struggling to deal with their own problems - especially when the issues we bring before them, are so much bigger and more daunting - but are so far removed. How do you make them care about little children in Africa, or Iraq, or Kashmir ... when they're fighting their own battles here at home - in our nations capital no less.
The most powerful city in the world - packed into 70 odd square miles. World leaders gather less than 5 miles away from this high school, over cocktails and bottled Perrier - while these kids are drinking water pumped full of lead.
posted by zai5h at Thursday, March 08, 2007
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