A Sad End for Meany

According to the Seattle Times, there was a melee at the promotion ceremony for Meany's 8th graders. From the article:

"Graduation ceremonies at a Seattle middle school were interrupted Tuesday when two girls incited a disturbance and attacked an off-duty police officer, according to Seattle police.

Dozens of police were called to Meany Middle School on Capitol Hill to quell the disturbance, delaying the event for about a half-hour, Seattle police spokeswoman Reneé Witt said.

Police also arrested two girls, ages 14 and 15, for causing the stir. Both girls now face criminal charges. The 14-year-old faces felony assault of an officer and a trespassing charge, while the 15-year old could be charged with trespass and disruption of school activities, Witt said.

The disturbance happened shortly before 6 p.m. at the school, Witt said, when the 14-year-old girl, who had been ordered to stay away from the school earlier in the year, showed up at the graduation and started making a scene."

This is a sorry way for a school to close but maybe it has been a frustrating semester for the students and staff since they learned their school would be closed. This is no excuse for what happened but how disappointing this incident must of been for the students who wanted to leave with some grace.

A somewhat similar incident happened last fall at Roosevelt when one girl came to our step-up day and attacked another girl. Neither girl was from RHS so it was a mystery. Unfortunately there was no security or staff around and for some odd reason, I was the only adult who stepped in. (If you have ever seen me, you'll know why this is fairly funny. Naturally, both the girls were bigger than me but only one was swinging.) When kids get ramped up, it is hard to talk them down and I'm sure once the girl at Meany attacked the officer, all bets were off.

Comments

seattle citizen said…
Yes, a sad note sounded at Meany's end. Hopefully, the rest of the students carried on: not excusing the behavior, but middle school students are used to drama, for better or for worse.
Worse is that I've read elsewhere that there were kids intent on carrying the battle forward the next day. To me, this is indicative of typical young teen bahavior brought to dangerous levels: One of the most disturbing aspects of "modern" youth, in some cases, is the way it becomes "an eye for an eye" ad infinitum. Gangs thrive on this vendetta behavior, and it carries forward as "revenge" begets revenge.
And these kids are only 14...

This is a symptom of the bigger problem: young teens, for whatever reason, feel that their chance for "success" is found in the little pond of the streets, in the here and now. "Respect" there is measured by how big a fish you are in this little pond, how tough. Ideas, emotion, action...is all centered on these changing, drama-filled relationships between "South End!", "North End!" etc...
That's the saddest part (besidesthe sometimes deadly violence): these kids are living like there's no tomorrow and amplifying petty grudges into life-and-death battles, in a disturbing and (to an outsider) ridiculous Hatfield and McCoy drama.

Me, I think that, as with any cult or gang, these kids are looking for "love" and "acceptance": Not getting it elsewhere, they've formed their own little world where they can feel "loved" by their gang or affiliations, and "accepted" in the little world of street drama.
6/18/09, 7:10 AM
seattle citizen said…
Another sad note about Meany:
Stacy McCrath-Smith was elevated to Principal-ship when she was brought to John Marshall to shepard it through its last year (after Dr. Drake was "removed.") From all accounts, she did an admirable job keeping morale up, pushing for student-centered activity as staff wrestled with disengagement in an entire year of death throes. After Marshall closed, she went to Meany, only to have that facility closed, too.

From all accounts, Principal McCrath-Smith was an energetic new principal, getting her feet and committed to pushing for high expectations for city youth. I'm certain that she had her learning curve, and might not have made all the right decisions; she might have turned off some with her mis-steps. But from what's heard about town, she has a heart of gold and is committed to students that are struggling, as well as the students who are "okay." I hope that Ms. McCrath-Smith is placed in a new position that makes best use of these skills, and allows her to rise up and become a wonderful principal, able to work with ALL students in ensuring success.
6/18/09, 7:17 AM
Jet City mom said…
Melissa I am thankful that you stepped in, that takes guts, i hope it made an impression on the girls.Even if they don't change their behavior immediately- I have to believe that they note the behavior of the adults around them, for future reference.

( I know my own daughters have a remarkably long memory for anything I have ever done)

You aren't short - you are just environmentally correct.
( small = fewer resource consumption)
6/18/09, 2:26 PM
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