Friday, February 1

Where Are They Now?

I've been thinking for a long time about doing an update to the blog. It would be interesting to see what my former students are doing now. Unfortunately, since leaving the system I have heard very little.
One other problem is that success takes time. I'm sure that I will have many students who will do amazing things but it will probably take many years. My former students are not even college-aged. While success takes time, failure does not. I already know about the students who have made poor choices and messed their lives up. For better or for worse, I am a part of their lives and they are a part of mine. I am happy when my students achieve great things. I am hurt when they hurt themselves.
Remember "Malcolm"? He was an intelligent kid who made a lot of poor choices. I spent a lot of time talking to him. He was in and out of trouble all the time and was affiliated with one of the local gangs. Malcolm was the kid who was hiding a gun that had been used in a local shooting. He was later expelled for shooting another student in the neck with a BB gun. The school system gave him a private tutor so that he could pass seventh grade. At the time, I wrote that this is how the school system creates criminals.
Not long later, Malcolm shot two young men, killing one. Malcolm and his older brother had a confrontation with two other individuals. It is unclear exactly what transpired but Malcolm and his brother pulled out guns and started shooting. One young man was killed. The other was wounded. Malcolm later confessed to police that he shot one of the victims in the head, killing him. Malcolm was fourteen years old and is one of the youngest people to be charged with homicide in the state of Virginia. He is currently serving time.
Malcolm's grandmother was quoted in the newspaper as saying that Malcolm did not like guns. She claims that Malcolm did not even want a toy cap gun. I don't believe it. Malcolm's record tells a different story. How did parents, community, and school miss this one? The warning signs were all there.