In 2008, the murder rate in Jacksonville, Florida was climbing up the
chart without ceasing. Outrage built while emotional capacity was exhausted as
the city mourned the death of children killed by stray bullets penetrating
their houses while they lay on the floor and prayed for deliverance. Finally,
city leaders, pastors, residents in crime-torn neighborhoods, people from all
parts of the county came together and said, “Enough.”
A large task force was formed to study the problem from all angles and
propose solutions. The task force divided into subcommittees to work on
different issues: the criminal justice system, community programs, schools and
suspension, early education, jobs and economic opportunities, I don’t remember
them all but the point is that the task force looked at all contributing causes
to consider solutions for the city.
Many programs were considered, recommended, adopted, and funded. They
may not seem directly related to the problem of murder, such as centers where
suspended students could report during the day to keep them out of trouble,
centers with counselors and social workers to help the students work on why
they misbehaved at school, or funding for after-school programs such as Team-Up
for youth who would otherwise be left loose on the streets with no supervision,
but overall, the Journey worked. The murder rate declined.
Now our schools are in crisis. Students are bringing loaded weapons onto
campus. Discipline is out of control. Teachers are cussed, threatened with
physical violence, bossed around, and ignored. Parents are frustrated and
lashing out at school-based personnel before pulling their children for
alternatives: charters, private school vouchers, home schooling, whatever they
can think of, and who can blame them? They are trying to do what is best for
their kids.
The Journey offers a way that Duval County Public Schools can pull the
city together to consider the problem of school discipline and solutions that
will address the systemic problems that are destroying the schools.
Systemic problems need a systemic approach. DCPS needs to stop the spin
and admit the full scope of the problems. We need a new Journey. We need
pastors, leaders of community institutions, city leaders, parents, residents of
crime-torn neighborhoods, students because oh, yes, they really are involved
and know what to do to bring them hope and a future, we need teachers and
clerical personnel and security guards and custodians, we need representatives
from all places and categories to come together in a task force, study the
school system, and propose solutions that change the system that is producing
the threats.
How about it, Jacksonville? Do you want a new Journey to work on the
problems in our schools? It’s put up or shut up time. How about it, Wayne
Weaver? Gary Chartrand? Trey Czar? Are you willing to fund an effort to make
our schools safe? You pony up the bucks for many other initiatives. Are you
willing to stand up for our students? Our children?
We can wait no longer or we will cease to be the Bold New City of the
South.
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