International media attention for an incident on
August 31, 2006 has been brought about a dramatic
trial in Jena, Louisiana. A young black
teenager was convicted of aggravated assault for a
schoolyard fight. The fight was said to have been
initiated by white students who hung three nooses in
a tree at the high school courtyard, this was to
warn black students not to sit under the tree. The
school administrators dismissed the incident as a
harmless prank. Well, the black students did not
take it as a prank and protested under the tree.
Soon after it was said that the local District
Attorney was called in to warn the black students
that he could take their life away with the stroke
of a pen. |
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| The
problem got worse when they said authority figures
refused to take a stand against racism. The noose
incident was truly racial. A series of fights
between white and black students erupted, and after
the dust settled only black students were
charged-with attempted murder. Prosecutors refused
to back down and admit that they were dealing with a
hate crime. |
Several events occurred
such as, the central academic wing of Jena High School was
destroyed by fire. Over weekends, a stream of
white-initiated racial violence swept over this small
community. The following Monday is when further trauma
occurred. It has been said a white student was punched and
kicked following a lunch-hour taunting match. The out come
once again not balanced. Six black athletes were arrested
and charged with one on the most incredible charges for high
school students that has ever been hard of. The black
students were charged with conspiracy to attempt
second-degree murder. If the conviction sticks they could be
facing between twenty-five to 100 years in prison without
parole.
| First
of all since when does a tree belong to any race.
This should have been a wake up call for school
officials in the first place. If it was known as the
white side of the Jena High School square, what does
that tell you. Diversity counseling and activities
to promote harmony should have been established.
Black parents were highly concerned about the
incident and gathered at a church to discuss this
act of intimidation. It was out of concern for the
youth and their rights that had been jeopardized. It
was only when the black students felt this was a
racial nightmare that had to be addressed did things
get out of hand it seems. After the protest parents
of white and black students kept their kids home due
to the climate of the school and racial tension.
It's also been said the white students said it was
just a silly prank and so they were faced with just
a few days of in-school suspension. In- school
suspension that sounds like a high school
punishment. What happened to the same kind of
treatment of the black students? |
Jena High School
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The school scene just got beyond out of hand.
According to some newspapers, its been said some
teachers were demanding discipline be restored to
the school or they would threatened a ?sick-out.?
Could that have been the reason for such harsh
charges on these young black men? We can ask so many
questions why why did this situation occur in year
2006. The accused boys were also said to have been
barred from the school for life. Things just seem so
extreme and you've got accused students that claim
they did not participate in the assault at all.
Conflicting eye witness statements does not warrant
the degree in which the case has taken. What is
really shocking is in the state of Louisiana, is if
the victim of an alleged assault is a juvenile, the
assailant can be found guilty of attempted
second-degree murder even if intent is not to do
serious bodily harm. I'm getting the feeling that a
sci-fi is on the big screen. The worst part about
this story is that a group of black students, people
say asked for permission to sit beneath a ?whites
only? shade tree. People say there was an unwritten
rule that blacks couldn't sit beneath the tree. I
could not understand how school administrators could
let this happen. Clearly a diversity problem had
existed on this campus for a long time. The question
is for how long? |
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How long will people turn their heads when it comes
to diversity? Remember it's 2007,lets have fair
treatment for all. |
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