Confession Tuesday

Recently, I have been struck by numerous issues in the local news regarding our public schools. As a public school teacher, obviously I am drawn to this information. The articles are not flattering. There has been a rise in gang activity in some of the Norfolk schools, so much so that football games which I dearly love have had to be canceled or postponed. Just yesterday, they arrested a student at a Norfolk school for having a gun at school. This is at least the third arrest for such since school opened five weeks ago. Nine teachers have been injured breaking up fights at a single Norfolk school since classes began. Going to school each day has become hazardous it seems.

I do not live or teach in Norfolk, but my city is not far away. The school where I teach is different from the ones that are involved in this controversy, but a student is a student. My heart aches for any and all of them.

It is a shame when such negative events lead to the stifling of the positive activities. This time of the year is such an exciting one, a time in which a fresh start is waiting for every student. In addition, it is the anniversary of when Norfolk finally overcame the obstacles of integration and gave equal access to its public schools. It should be a time of celebration, but alas, it hardly feels festive.

It is hard for me to imagine being involved in gang activity, but then again, I was fortunate to have a strong family and parents who guided me to make wise choices. I know that many of the students/kids involved in these gang activities are criminals, but they were not born criminals. It is such a tragedy when kids make such poor choices and become trapped in a situation from which they cannot escape, or feel that they cannot escape.

I once taught a young man in tenth grade English (at a different school than where I currently teach) who would hardly ever show up for class. When I called his home, I spoke with his mother who cried and cried the entire time we talked. My heart just broke for her. She said that she was powerless and felt that there was nothing that she could do. The next time that he came to class I pulled him aside to talk to him. He told me that he was in a gang. He said that he could not escape because they would kill him. I told him that his mom would move somewhere else far away. He said that it would not make a difference. They would find him and kill him. He asked me to pray for him, and I assured him that I would. His name was Tim, and that was the last time I ever saw him.

I do not know whatever happened to him, and I probably never will know. However, there are many kids involved in activities in which they should not be. I have always been aware of such gangs, but I never thought about it being so close to home. Children today are faced with so much. Prayer is essential.