On Monday, something terrible happened in my school district. This something is so horrible, I have a hard time even now explaining how I feel. I cannot believe what I heard is true, and how it has affected the teachers I work with, and especially the students I teach.
Monday afternoon, around 3:00 p.m., three boys were walking near ME Pearson Elementary School. This elementary school is not far from Whittier, and very close to Central Elementary School (the school I taught at last year). Two of these boys were in 7th grade (from Central Middle School-- adjacant to Whittier Elementary School), and I believe one was in 9th grade (from Washington High School). The boys were just North of Pearson and were shot at from a car coming down the street. From what I understand, the boys were involved in a gang called F-13. The people who shot at them were also in a gang called FL. One boy was shot in the head and died on his 14th birthday. This was a student from Central Middle School-- just across the walkway from Whittier.
My friend Jack is the music teacher at Pearson. When this took place, he was teaching 1st graders who recongized the sound of gunshots. Can you believe that? A bunch of first graders knowing what guns sound like? It is instances like this that hurts my heart. I cannot begin to tell you what kind of impact this has brought to our lives as educators. My friend was so baffled it was hard for him to talk about the instance. Today I teach at Whittier and the building is on lock down for today and especially tomorrow.
Tomorrow might just seem like an ordinary day-- besides the fact that it is Friday the 13th, but this is something that boys' gang will like. Those two boys were injured, well one died. So retailation is in order. The gang's name is F-13, I believe they live near or on 13th Street, and they are Hispanic. It just so happens that this is Friday, the 13th, what better why to show them who's boss, then to retailiate on Friday the 13th. Needless to say, our buildings are on lock down, no one allowed to play outside, even if the weather is nice.
I cannot believe my ears. This morning, a 5th grader told her friend that "they are going to shot up Whittier tomorrow." These kids know more than I will ever know. Thank goodness I am not at Whittier tomorrow, but I feel for these kids. I don't know what they must be going through, and the teachers, and especially the prinicpal. How can she live with herself knowing that her students are not 100% safe? I cannot believe my ears.
I just keep saying this to myslef, as I shake my head in confusion. I cannot believe my ears.
The Kansas City Start News Story
http://www.kansascity.com/news/neighborhood/wyandotte_county/story/1025457.html
Oh my gosh. This is horrifying. It's not only hard to believe that 5th graders know more about the cold, hard world than we do, but that this is happening so near to home. Tenessa, I'm so sorry you're having to deal with such a skin-crawling situation. I'm glad you're at least able to talk about it here. Keep writing. Get it out of your system. Don't let this shake you irreversibly. Love you. Wish I could hug you and make you laugh.
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