It’s Time to Shut Down Trenton Public High Schools

By Al Alatunji

TRENTON.- It is apparent that the administrators, teachers, security personnel, board of education and city officials are unable to protect the lives of students at Trenton public high schools. It is time, passed time, to shut the schools down before a student or students end up in body bags.

That might sound like a hyperbole, exaggeration or sensationalism until it happens. Yet it is just one sucker punch, one kick to the head, one stabbing from that occurring. Then people will be all up in arms, all emotional for the motion. They will be marching and chanting. The politicians will have their speech writers to prepare their standard “My prayers and condolences goes out to the family” caca. But by then a life or lives will have been lost. Parents, no one really seems to care about your child.

With regards to the horrible attack of two high school girls on December 8 at Trenton High School, there was basically silence from the school adminis - tration, the board of education, and the city’s politicians.

During the recent municipal election, it was interesting to hear candidates mention how they wanted to see the city public schools improve. Yet, in the next breath they stated that the city governing body was not responsible for the schools. It is correct that the mayor and council do not run the public schools. However, the children that attend those schools and the parents that send them to those schools are your constituents. The mayor and council have a political and, more important, a moral obligation and responsibilities to ensure the best possible education outcome for Trenton public schools’ students. That includes not only making sure the lights stay on but that students, all students are safe and are in a secure and safe environment. That they are free from attacks, bullying and harassment.

All students regardless of race, religion, country of origin, native language, gender or sexual orientation. It is no secret that

Latinx students in particular those recent to the country from Guatemala, Honduras and other Central American countries as well as Blacks from Haiti, the Caribbean and Africa have been subject to physical and verbal abuse. It goes beyond being just not right, but indefensible and immoral.

It was not that long ago when Black students were beaten up, harassed and intimidated at Trenton High by Italian youths when Chambersburg was all Italian and Italians were the majority students at the high school. It was wrong then and it is equally wrong now. As a proud, extremely proud Black man it outrages me, it appalls me and it angers me to see Blacks act inhumane and barbaric to others in particular other people of color. Did we not learn anything from being an enslaved people? Did we not learn anything from the mistreatment of Jim Crow, of the lynching and brutally? We came through the inhumanity and hate that was directed at us because we are a special people. We are better than that. Human life is sacred. Black lives matter. So, do Brown lives. Yes, all lives matter.

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