October 14, 2008
Crisis at Armstrong High School
This is an urgent Press Release from Art Burton, candidate for School Board in the 6th district.
*STOPPING VIOLENCE AND SUPPORTING EDUCATION*
An emergency situation is developing at Armstrong High School in Richmond’s East End:
*gang activity is disrupting the educational process.*
The crisis at this school undermines confidence in our school system, risks the lives of teachers and students alike, and threatens public safety in Richmond’s communities.
Last Tuesday, while out canvassing the community, I was approached by a woman and asked what I could do to help her granddaughter get out of Armstrong High School immediately. She explained to me about fights and code Reds and teachers and principals being assaulted. She was adamant that this child was terrified of the violence when she should only be worried about her studies. On Friday, I learned from a community leader in Whitcomb Court and she asked about me what could be done for her grandson, who attended Armstrong high School and was frightened and no longer wanted to attend school. Monday morning I called a friend whose neighbor teaches at Armstrong and he shared with me that he was going to the school board meeting that night to support her as she intended to speak out about being assaulted and cursed and the fact that the administration could not get the situation under control. I attended the school board meeting and watched as teachers stood before the school board crying and begging for help because they are not being protected well enough to do their jobs.There is something terrifying going on at Armstrong high school. Young men and women from different communities have formed into gangs and are waging war over tops of the heads of both teachers and students who are trying participate in the educational process. These problems are getting worse, and without intervention we will lose teachers, students, and possibly lives. The entire Richmond community must look to Armstrong high school and resolve the issue.
*I am asking that the community of Richmond join me as I take the following steps:*
a) Contact the Commonwealth Attorney and Attorney General’s Office for the Commonwealth of Virginia and request these entities immediately target Armstrong high School for GRIP resources and the removal of gang presence.
b) Contact the Mayor of the City of Richmond and request that he instruct the Chief of Police to take immediate action to restore order at Armstrong high school and instruct Communities’ Intelligence Units to follow gangs back to the neighborhoods and eliminate the problem.
c) Contact the Richmond City Council of PTAs and Richmond Tenants Organization to request their collaboration in holding a town hall forum to discuss “violent and disruptive behavior at Armstrong and seek recommendations in resolving these issues on the community level.
*WE MUST ACT NOW!*
Contact Art Burton at 804-467-6408 for more information.
This same article is posted on the Church Hill People’s News. There has been some interesting comments posted in response to it on that site. Click on Church Hill People’s News under the Community Blogs Banner on this site and check them out.
The fact that Richmond students are confined to their classrooms to eat lunch is a nothing short of breathtaking in this day and time. Inmates in prison are expected to practice acceptable social skills in the dining hall. If the city needs volunteers to help maintain order then it should call out for help. How the community responds to this crisis is a testament on how it values its youth and education.
I have a deeper concern with the school system. If you were to do a poll with all of the teachers, principals and students, they will tell you that the Central Administration personal never visits the schools to see what is going on. I have been involved in the school system and never once heard of the superintendent or members of the cabinet coming into the schools and seeing what is going on. I have even been on the board and we invited the superintendent and she never responded to our request. On the other side, city council, mayors are always saying what the schools needs and they are never in the schools. I know we are always on the teachers and principals, but what are our leaders that run things doing to assist our schools.