14 Year Old Gunman Shoots Classmates & Teachers

You’ve undoubtedly heard about the shooting at SuccessTech Academy high school in Cleveland, Ohio. Asa Coon, a 14 year old gunman who was on suspension for a fight with another student went into the school and shot and wounded four people before killing himself. As the news reports surface, I’ve learned that other students went to the principal and told her that Asa had a gun the week before and that he was threatening to harm people. Nothing was done.

In Asa Coon’s personal record is a history of mental problems, two stints in a juvenile facility, being disrespectful to teachers, arguing with other students, threatening to commit suicide while at a juvenile facility and domestic violence in his own home. This young man had problems that nobody seemed to be able to solve and yet he was able to roam free at school being a potential threat to everyone around him--Virginia Tech all over again.

Our system of government, of public schools, of community safety is failing us if we are putting innocent bystanders in classrooms with mentally disturbed children with guns. How many re-runs of this story do we need? A mentally unstable kid, gets a gun. Other kids find out and tell adults. The adults don’t do anything. Kids get hurt. Kids get killed. I’m tired of this story. I’m real tired.

Listen to the audio: http://web.mac.com/yasminshiraz

Haitians Gangs Staying Busy

Today it was reported by The Miami Herald that Haitian gangs in Southern Florida are different from some of the traditional US gangs because they rule by committee, use automatic weapons, and engage in extreme violence. They don't wear the colors to distinguish themselves, but still have turf battles, peddle drugs and have been involved in investigations that have sent numerous members to prison.

It's interesting to note that I spoke at Deerfield Beach High School in Florida earlier this year and this Miami Herald article cited that Haitian-Americans and African-Americans were involved in a turf war that needed a cease fire. Haitian-Americans and African-American youth can't get along because of their culture? They're both considered minority groups and at first glance, they're both considered black--no more than the other, no less than the other.

What are the parents of these youth saying? What are the Haitian parents saying about African Americans? And what are the African American parents saying about the Haitians? Who benefits when Haitian American youth and African American youth fight? Who benefits when they kill each other? I don't see how either side benefits.

When I visited Deerfield Beach, a teacher told me of the tension between the Haitian students and the black students. I asked her why did she think that they couldn't get along? She didn't really have answer. It seems in this society, we're not happy unless we find some other culture, some other person, some other people to hate.

To read the article: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/251800.html