As of about lunchtime perhaps LYNN'S greatest asset in teen violence prevention goes unused. It's been almost a week since the COOK STREET CAPER and from what I understand ANTONIO from LYSOA's phone has not rang with a call from the KING (okay queen, but king has that hard "c" sound this poet needs) of COMMERCIAL STREET.
For any kind of CONFLICT RESOLUTION or PREVENTION, you got to talk to the KIDS involved, not at or about them. For all the talk about people not wanting to get involved and all the bad-mouthing of parents, here is a PRIME example of what I have been saying --COMMERCIAL STREET REALLY DOES NOT WANT PARENTAL OR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
Here's your chance COMMERCIAL STREET, prove me wrong. Don't worry, I'm good at being wrong, just ask my e ex-wives.
MADAME MAYOR (I so wanted to use your stage name), make a phone call. LSC members apply a little political pressure before I have to get all poetic on you.
Having him talk to the kids is the next and best logical step! It's time to stop the violence and he knows how to do it...
ReplyDeleteSue
I have already asked to have a presentation by LYSOA placed on the agenda for the next SC meeting. BTW: Please talk up the LYSOA fundraiser on March 23rd @ the Lynn Museum.
ReplyDeleteRick
Hopefully we can use all this negative attention to sell some spaghetti tickets!
ReplyDeleteI actually sent an email to Dr. Latham, the school committee and the mayor telling them I thought there should be some sort of assembly at all the high schools and middle schools to discuss fighiting, bullying, and violence, as well as the consequences (legal or otherwise) that are involved for all those who participate (even the ones in the audience) I spoke to numerous high school kids and NONE of them had any idea that they too could face consequences for being a part of the audience. Will this stop all the fights and violence between the kids? Of course not, but it certainly cannot hurt!! As a parent, I believe the worst thing Dr. Latham could do is to ignore and not address this issue in hopes it will just go away. These fights are getting more violent. One of those girls could have been seriously injured or even killed, especially by having her head smashed against a cement wall. I have not heard back from anyone regarding my email.
ReplyDeleteHi Lori,
DeleteThe Superintendent has been addressing this all week. She has been in communication with all of us on the SC as well as LPD and City Hall.
You are right that this girl could have been seriously injured and if that had happened, how culpable would those in attendance have been? You are also right that there should be an assembly to discuss this issue and I believe that will be part of the plan moving forward. As Stan pointed out, Antonio is probably the best person that we have in the city to send in to deliver this message. He does it quite successfully in other communities and I have been trying for quite some time to get him into Lynn Schools. This is the perfect opportunity for kids to hear this from someone who has lived it versus hearing it from someone that is talking at them. Another message that these kids need to understand are the repercussions of pictures, postings and videos that are posted online. I don’t care who says that they are taking it down, it is likely to live in cyber space somewhere. If a few years down the road, these kids apply for college or for a job and someone “googles” their name, they will really be behind the eight ball.
While we will never end after school beefs between kids, we should as a community take this instance as an opportunity to address all that we saw wrong in it, head-on.
Thanks, Rick Starbard
Rick...As always thanking for taking the time to respond!! I never had a doubt that Dr. Latham was addressing the issue. After all, she is the superintendent and these were students who attended one of Lynn's schools. However, what I do have a problem with is the fact that I, a parent, emailed her (and CC'd it to the mayor and 5 members of the school committee) and she couldn't be bothered to even respond. In my opinion, this is just another example of how her constant preaching about wanting parental and community involvement is a bunch of BS!! It would have taken her about a minute to send a quick response to me.
DeleteAMEN, sister!
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