I Don't Even Know What to Say

Today I realized what it's like for these kids to try and focus on school when there are bigger things going on. These are not the articles I would have liked to have read upon making it to school this morning:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_13644237?nclick_check=1

It can also be found on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/27/california.gang.rape.investigation/index.html

Up until now, it just seemed like everything was a little crazy and disorganized. I feel so naive to have thought that even here, this kind of shit would not happen. The girl is not in one of my classes, but is in our Academy, so she's in all my team teachers' classes. The worst part is that the girl is a special education student, and I am already considering which of my own special education students could fall victim to the same thing. Today's team meeting was a somber one, especially considering the fact that for the Teach For America teacher across the hall, not only is the victim a student of hers, but the arrested suspect is a past student of hers. I had one kid taken from my class today for questioning, so even I couldn't focus today, let alone my students.

The whole thing is horrific, but on top of that, I had several students expressing how upset they were that the event has been made out to be a Richmond High School issue instead of a Richmond community issue, and how the news made the students seem emotionless to the event. Apparently the students were referring to news interviews of parents of primarily white East Bay high schools. Contrary to popular opinion, not all of our students are part of Richmond gangs. That being said, the end of the quarter is this Friday and I wish there was a way I could get my hands on a list of all gang-affiliated students in my class, because right now I really just want to give all of them failing grades.