Reflection 9: Fond feastings and.... RIOTS???

This weekend was Parent's Weekend! I got to hang out with my parents and little brother Kevin for 3 days. We saw the Washington monument and I took them around Chinatown. It didn't feel weird seeing them after more than a month. It was quite natural, and enjoyable. I'd been on rocky standing with my parents with junior year, so it was nice having peaceful dinners with them. And they had to rely on me to get around the city. I'm usually the worst person ever with directions, so it was nice to have them trust me.

While I was being fed and doted on this weekend, something really awful happened back at my hometown. Friday was homecoming at my old high school, and a riot happened just after the dance that night. My good friend's sister wasn't there (thank god), but she knew people who were and apparently it was a huge mess. A fight broke out outside the high school. Police stationed at the dance called in back up from 4 other towns. They told the kids still inside the dance to get out, but they just got caught in the riot. Not knowing what else to do apparently, the police decided to MACE THE ENTIRE CROWD of kids and parents. Innocent kids trying to find their siblings and friends got BEATEN WITH NIGHTSTICKS. The most sickening thing, however, is how the press covered the incident. In this online article my boyfriend sent me, there were mentions of "assaults" on police officers, but NOTHING on the treatment of the innocent students. And worse of all were the comments people left about the students of my high school. (link to article below)

When people talk about the travesties of the DC community and the school system, it is very near to my heart coming from a high school with a really bad rep. Like American, my high school hired a revolutionary principal to turn things around in my hometown. Only unlike Mr. Kerwin, our principal left only after 1 year because another school system hired him to be superintendent. I feel like everything is getting worse and worse, especially with my class having graduated. This had never happened before at any of the homecomings I went to. It really upsets me to see my alma mater going down the drain. I think my old high school needs a strategic plan of its own.

Here's the article so you can see what I means : http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091024/NEWS/91024014&s=d&page=1#pluckcomments