Hood Teacher

Tired of Ignorance...

2010-12-21T11:35:00.001-08:00

Submitted this to LA Times in response to comment on the Homicide Report...hope it gets published...

@syscom3 – if I understand your argument correctly, you believe the ACLU and other Civil Rights organizations have taken away the power of government officials and agencies to correct the problems of street violence in Los Angeles (and I would assume throughout the U.S.). Also, you believe that gangsters are sociopaths and many family members are enablers of this or part-take in culture that promotes this.

Here’s the problem – the government and its agencies (LAPD and so on) seem unable to solve this problem or unwilling to solve it without violating basic rights. In fact, the current solution (high arrest rate, very few other services) does not solve it, but does get a lot of people paid, as groups such as Critical Resistance have documented (I am not part of that group, but have read their material). As long as most of the violence remains here in South Central, they seem to be content with it.

You have to remember, most of this was started by the very agencies that you claim are so eager to end it. I document this is my website, www.southcentralhistory.com. For example, the governments role in bring drugs into South Central has been well documented. Furthermore, violence has constantly been used by the authorities to control this area. For example, the authorities’ solution to the Watts Riots was bringing in the National Guard and killing civilians. The community solution to quell anger was to bring in MLK, who visited Watts soon after the riots (not for a photo opportunity mind you, but to actually talk to the people).

This idea that gangsters are sociopaths is illogical, and reflective of a cognitive dissonance that is wide-spread through-out this country. Today, the U.S. government released figures that said about 700 foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year (about as many people as killed in LA County this year). It did not release the number of Afghanis killed. In Iraq, the amount of Iraqi people killed was about 1000 for every 1 soldier (informationclearinghouse.com). I don’t know if it is on that level, but U.S. government is responsible for killing more people each month than even the Grim Sleeper! If you claim these gangsters in the streets are sociopaths, they are only a small reflection of how the U.S. government acts. And in fact, a recent book called American Homicide by Randolph Roth (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/12/opinion/la-oe-rodriguez12-2010apr12) details that the homicide rate is not a reflection of poverty, race, or drug use, but is a reflection of how people feel about their government and the avenues that where they can earn respect (jobs, community institutions, ect.).

You are missing the big picture in this and you will not meet your goal of changing anything by commenting on dead people online. Their family members are not going to change or realize anything while they are in a great emotional state reading your ignorance. In fact, it only reinforces their beliefs. If you want to do something, deal with these people while they are living. I live here in South Central and I teach at Locke High School in South Central, and I have helped students get to college and I have also gone to funerals and seen everything in between. You can come volunteer with the live youth anytime you want, just let me know.

Woman Dies Across the Street

2010-03-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

This happened back at the start of the month. The street was closed down and there were a lot of cops, but I did not know what had happened until much later. The woman was run over, and the trailer is still in the parking lot at the gas station. Very sad.

Back...

2010-01-30T18:08:00.001-08:00

I have taken a long break from this blog. Prior to that break, I had already slowed down on posting, but during the summer, I choose to abandon it. I abandoned it because one of my students was killed at 101st and Main. That kinda rocked me. It got me thinking about a lot of things and made me think about the time I have spent in LA. It was a rough August. Right before he was killed a young man was killed at Western and Century, another down the street 109 and van ness, and another by a nearby park...then my moms was in a major accident in the Bay and was in the the hospital...There were several huge police responses to shootings in the area. Then in December, shooting and graffiti picked up because a "youth center" opened that sponsored dances that ended up attracting the gang bangers. Made me think that in the last few years I have been here, I can think of several murders that have happened here in my neighborhood. Two of which I heard the shots. May 06 - Man killed in the ally where my parking space is Dec 06 - Man killed at the Post Office across the street April 07 - Double homicide down Van Ness Christmas 07 - College student killed at Jesse Owens Jan 07 - Western and 108th - Hoovas set up a kid that just had joined a gang March 08 - Man killed across the street in the ally (see picture of message below Christmas 08 - 18 year old killed on Christmas Eve shooting up Van Ness August 09 - Man killed at Western and Century then another a month later

It is just sad that so much violence occurs here with so little purpose. It makes you feel powerless.

They keep saying that crime is going down, but the conditions don't change.

Hot Summer

2009-07-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks back, I laughed in my car as a drove past Jesse Owens Park about 30 seconds from my house. I laughed because the park had been hit up again by the Rollin' 90s and the message was on the wall was "Summer is hear." What was supposed to be some type of cryptic message had me laughing because the kid that wrote it used the wrong "hear." A clear sign that he needs to be in school.

Regardless of the situation, there truly is a spike in crime during the summer. Last night, I sat on my couch at 1 am, unable to sleep worried about some personal things, when four shots rang out. Even though my apartment is situated such that the angles would not allow a bullet to come through one of the windows and hit me, I still feel to the floor in fear. I sat there on the floor for a few minutes to see if I would hear some sirens or a helicopter. Since I did not hear anything, I sat back up, and continued to waste away the night.

Little did I know that earlier that night, about 6-7 minutes away at Imperial and Vermont, a young 22-year old was shot by the police. I drive by this place on my way home each day. Last week, at Imperial and Budlong (the next major street west), a memorial was set up for a death that I have not heard any information about yet. This morning, I had to pass by there to run a few errands. The street was blocked off on Imperial from Budlong to Vermont as they finished off their investigation of themselves. Then, this afternoon, another shooting right at the same spot. 4 more people were shot, although not fatally (see article here).

Imperial and Vermont has been a crack corner for as long as I have been in LA. The first time I came to South Central, I got off the 105 at Vermont. The drug users line up at the bus stop and kick it all day. These aging (there are very few new crack users) men and women will be seen at all hours. That plus the gangs make it a terrible corner. I remember being there about 2 years ago at the stop light and watching a drive-by. Earlier this year, a woman gang member was shot in the head in front of her apartment there as well.

At the end, it is all another day though, unless it is you or one of your loved ones that gets shot. It is always so funny to me that after a shooting, everything just continues. As I sat on the floor after the shooting last night, the crickets stayed at what they do, another plane flew over head to land at LAX, and within a few minutes the cars on Century continued up and down the street. At Imperial and Vermont, people were outside on their way to the store, getting gas, and living their lives. You would think everything might pause in that precious second as life escapes a man or woman. You might believe that because it is another human, there might be something intensely special or meaningful. But the reality is that there is not. Some people cry, some bring some flowers, some go mentally ill, and everyone continues on.

Society truly deems are lives in the hood worthless. Nothing is done to really fix any of these problems cause it all happens here. At Imperial and Normandie (the next major street west of Budlong), very close to where all of this took place, a new juvenile detention center and station is being built. As if the neighborhood is not its own type of prison. The murders, drugs, and gangs continue. The kids continue to be raised by selfish, irresponsible adults, too hurt and damaged in their own lives to adequately care for another. The police keep killing them dead when they feel they get too out of control or just to kill them. Many live sad and tragic lives of their own making here. As one teacher says, it is "The Watts Story," or the South Central Story, or the Hood Story, whatever you want to call it.

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Skinny Jeans and Dance Crews - Are We In The 70s???

2009-06-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to an LA Times article (always late) about the new dance style called jerkin'. If you teach in an LA school you probably already know about jerkin'. Here in South Central, the dance and the style that goes with it are widely popular. I must be getting old, because I don't get it at all!!!

Click here for the article

Not Even Teachers Are Safe

2009-05-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

This happened about 5 minutes away from me...a very tragic story of a band instructor at Washington Prep who was shot while with his wife at his daughter's birthday party. How many lives were ruined by killing this man.

Click here for the full story.

Video:

Why Socialism Wouldn't Work In The Hood

2009-04-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

This is not a great essay...there are not citations and is mostly my opinion based on observation, but just a collection of my thoughts...

For years I have believed that socialism would cure the majority of the world’s ills. I remember in my third year of college, I was increasingly frustrated with history and society. I could not reconcile the life of poverty I had seen in high school with the life of wealth I saw in college. Why are some places saturated with drugs, violence, and death, and others not? I was frustrated with the raw ignorance to poverty of the majority of the college population that had come from privilege and wealth. This is when I started studying Marxism. I joined a revolutionary party and was down for revolution. I loved the idea of socialism; the idea of increased democracy, real redistribution of wealth and land, and economic equality. I studied other philosophies too, and tried to form my own collection of values (which I still use to guide my life). It was during this time that I decided to go into the education field as well. The need for revolution still is abundantly clear to me. The inequalities in wealth, education, and almost every other measure point to the inadequacies of this capitalist system. Fixing these symptoms will not fix a corrupt foundation built off of the greed of slavery and colonization (and continued with the greed of Wall St. and the banks today). Coming from the hood, I believed socialism would fix these problems. Now, after coming back to the hood, and being able to see it with a different perspective, I believe that socialism will not work here at this time due to a culture of entitlement that has developed, a capitalist mindset which is so prevalent, and the severe family and mental health issues which cripple the community.

Most of the students have entered high school with a capitalist mindset. They have a pre-occupation with name brands and money. Much of this is encouraged through a variety of sources, such as family and music. Although it might seems like this would encourage motivation for the education which is required for high-paying jobs, it has the opposite effect. Many young people are looking for short-term “anything for money” solutions. This may be a result of what they have seen and not seen. They have seen many people make fast-money through both legal and illegal hustles. Many of the youth have not seen some one make a large amount of money through a long-term hustles, such as a doctor or a lawyer. This capitalist mindset leaves them pre-occupied with having products and brands, and uninterested in intangible things such as stable relationships or education. Socialism would call for a rejection of this mind-set. Having brand name jeans would be indifferent because economically everyone would be on an equal footing. There would be nothing to prove economically. Most students are not ready to reject that mindset.

Another factor that would debilitate socialism in the hood is the culture of entitlement that permeates the hood. In my opinion, this is primarily the result of welfare. In of itself, the idea of welfare is not bad; a temporary support for those that need it. However, it was never backed up by proper social programs that helped people get back on their feet. Instead, it became a cash hand out on the 1st and 15th. There are some restrictions in place today, such as required job training, but there is not a comprehensive education and training program that goes along with the money. Because many of the youth have grown up with welfare or hand-outs, they have a sense of entitlement. This is different than the entitlement that is traditionally associated with the upper class. Instead this is the idea that they should just get stuff with no work or reason. If we were to establish socialism today, they would not have developed the work ethic necessary to keep the system afloat. In college I would have completely argued against this point. I would have said that the people will work if there is something to work for. But after several years back in the hood, there is a serious work ethic problem. The root cause may be the lack of reason to work or the racist conditions, but it does not change the fact that we have a large amount of people that are content with doing nothing with their lives.

The family and mental health problems of the hood prevent great progress forward in the conditions of the hood. Many of the youth are coming from broken families. Not just families that are single-parent households, but families that have severe problems. It might be drug abuse, it might be physical or sexual abuse, it might be general dysfunction, it might be a situation where the child is basically raising themselves. Just about every imaginable family problem exists in the hood. This leads to the mental health of the youth being unstable. The pain of being a young person and having to deal with adult issues and adult situations is tremendous. Most of these young people do not know how to deal with it. They are angry, confused, and emotionally damaged. Their medication may be drugs, alcohol, sex, food, or any other addition or escape. There is large number of youth that are in desperate need of therapy. These mental health issues are preventing them from furthering their education and themselves. It would be near impossible to fight for socialism when you can barely deal with your own emotions and situation. These young people need help to deal with these problems as they also take strides to achieve greater consciousness.

In conclusion, the dominance of the capitalist mindset, entitlement, and mental health issues is not a description of every youth in the hood. Further, these are not the only problems in the hood. But many of the problems in the hood develop out of these conditions, especially the issue of mental health. Many of the youth take out the pain they have endured on others, leading to the cycles of violence and destruction. More specifically, these are problems that make socialism impossible in the hood today. Many organizations and groups push for socialism, but socialism is years away from ever existing. These problems need to be dealt with first. The question is; how do you deal with these problems? This I do not know. It would make my existence more meaningful if the answer were education, but I don’t know if that is true. I do know that more education will lead to more stability overall. Further, I hope that through education, I am able to make an impact on the youth in relation to these issues. However, I think that teachers and others that work with the youth need to develop comprehensive plans to address all of these problems. Of course, not every teacher or youth advocate agrees on what the end goal should be, but in the short term, I believe everyone agrees that the youth need to abandon an “anything for money” capitalist mindset, develop a great work ethnic, and get therapy.

The Neighborhood in April

2009-04-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

Finally made it to break...The neighborhood has been mostly quiet. Last week, a man was killed in a club about 10 blocks up on Manchester. But other than that, I haven't heard any gun shots in a while. January was helicopters everyday, but the last few months have been cool...April is ALWAYS a crazy month. Think about all the random massacres right now, plus the history of April

- 1992 LA Riots start at the end of April

- 1999 - Columbine Massacre

- Rwandan Genocide started in April

Those are just a couple off the top of my head, but nothing is written, hopefully this April will get better!

Stress!

2009-02-15T16:41:00.001-08:00

Just made it through finals, but still stressed out! I have so much to do. The neighborhood has been quiet, but down the street it has been crazy. Regardless, I am not even thinking about that. I am started to get a bit sick and I think it is purely from stress. I became incredibly mad on Thursday! We were taking finals, and one student refused to take off his multi-colored jacket which violated the dress code. We subsequently walked out of the class! Then, another student started talking back on a separate situation. I have never had an issue giving a final! It was extremely disappointing. Dress code and talking back are issues that should not continue into the 21st week! Understandably, the students really are not used to the set up of the school and clearly still don't really get it! The anger from that along with the million things I have to do have me somewhat frustrated!!!! I'll calm down soon but dang.

Boy Killed on the Other Side of Jesse Owens' Park

2009-01-18T18:31:00.000-08:00

This week, a 14 year old boy was killed at 95th and Western (article says 94th, but the memorial is set up at 95th). This is beyond just the fact that the boy was killed because he was so young. At 14, you don't even know yourself. On Friday, I passed by the memorial, and took a turn at 94th. The neighborhood behind my apartments is fairly quiet, and I have gotten in the habit of passing through with out stopping fully at every stop sign. Of course, I was pulled over. I had to come out of my car, be searched and asked the usual questions (do you have weapons? are you on parole?where are you going? where are you coming from?). As soon as they figured out I was a teacher, they stopped asking questions and said I was good to go. I wonder what would happen if I was unemployed at the moment (like a gang of teachers are about to be) or if I was on parole, or whatever the situation was. Needless to say, it is a minor annoyance compared to the fate of the boy on Western.

More Murder, More Death

2008-12-30T09:21:00.001-08:00

The memorial below is down the street from me by a corner store. It has a picture of a young woman. I do not know how she died. I would guess violence, because the street is two small to have a massive car accident, but it could be from an accident. I can not find any information in any paper about her. For the last 4 years in a row, there has been a young person killed in this neighborhood. In 2006, there was a man shot and killed in the alley where I park my car. At end of that same year, there was a man killed at the post office across the street. In 2oo8, earlier in the year there was a man killed in the alley across the street (I wrote about him here), and now there is this young woman. When I say in my neighborhood, I am talking about the blocks right by my spot, not even the next major intersection. If this is happening at every major intersection (which we don't know because The Homicide Report was shut down) then we have the situation we are in right now. More people have been murdered in Los Angeles in the last 8 years then have died in the Israeli-Palestine Conflict. That is crazy.

What's up at Century and Van Ness

2008-11-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

Not too much...It has been very quiet for the last month, no new graffiti or shootings or much else. That is definitely a good thing. On the job, I am still struggling. Behavior is getting worse among a subset of students who are faced with the reality that the school is going to be highly structured and they can't really get out of it. There are a lot of stories I want to try to post up here, and although I have said it before, I really want to post more up. This job has been all consuming and has put me in a place where I am struggling to do as well as I want to. It just isn't quite clicking like I want. If it isn't behavior that is driving me crazy, it is my inability to come up with an engaging lesson! There are some bring spots, but overall, I am struggling with motivation because I am not doing well. It is just like students that are not motivated because they find that they are not successful. The amount of energy and effort being put in to work is not paying back right now. It does not lead me to giving up at all. But there is just heavy weight on my shoulders. I always strive to be the very best.

I am finding myself valuing what little time I have more myself more than ever. I need to find more time for myself, so I can do better when I do work. I'll keep y'all updated on how it turns out.

Barack Obama

2008-11-06T05:25:00.000-08:00

Month 1

2008-10-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

I have completed one month at my new school teaching a new class that integrates technology, leadership, and ethnic studies into one curriculum. I have been working hard as I can. Literally, crawling out of bed and straight over to my computer to work on the next lesson or whatever else is on my list, coming home, showing/eating, and doing more work...
There have already been several ups and downs. From a very good lessons, to complete technological failures. Add to that a discipline challenge that I have never experienced. It is strange because at my old school, I know this year would have been very smooth. I already knew the kids, already had a rep, and already had my lessons. New school = no lessons, no rep. But I am finally able to teach what I want, what I feel is important. And I'm able to do it on computers. The whole thing is surreal, as I try to gage weather I am doing well or not in the midst of trying to figure out how to teach in a totally different dynamic.
It is hard to even reflect on. I am struggling with many parts, but I am working hard and getting some results. I did not realize what a difference one grade makes! Moving from 10th graders to 9th graders....9th graders can be a mess! I am still trying to gain a balance in the class in terms of technology and ethnic studies and still trying to figure out how to teach technology. As of now, each student has a blog, email, and some idea of how to use Google Maps. So we are moving in the right direction.
As for the neighborhood, it is has been quiet...then again, I'm getting home late and leaving early, so who knows what's really happening.

Made In America - Review

2008-08-31T17:34:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to see Made In America. It is a documentary about the formation and existence of the Bloods and Crips. This is a subject that I feel well-educated on, so I was very skeptical going in to the movie. Here's my review.

Positives: The first thing I noticed about the movie was the amazing visuals. The movie has incredible overhead clips of South LA and great shots on location as well. The visual production of the movie is very good. It starts off talking about the migration of Blacks to LA and then into the Watts Riots. The historical parts were very good and the interviews that accompanied them fit nicely. Every point that I hoped to hear was there. As the movie continued, hearing from the former gang bangers was very good as well.

Negatives: The movie centered about the projects and Compton. Doing this makes it feel very sensational. That combined with the non-historical segments which were just interviews with young men basically saying they are going to do what they do gave a very one-dimensional view of the whole thing. The movie did touch on things like self-hatred and lack of male role-models, but all of it was not very well organized. It jumped around a lot. There was a focus on reformation toward the end, but I think the portrayal could have been solved by interviewing young people that had now made the choice not to bang, or never did bang and tell that story as well.

Overall: Overall, I would not recommend that people go out and view this as soon as possible and I would not recommend that people not see it. I don't feel that it brings anything new to the story. In fact, I was surprised that it did not touch on the changes occurring today. Over the last 20 years, the population of South LA has shifted toward a majority Latino population. Although it is often overstated, and seems to have leveled off, South LA is definitely 60-70% Latino (although you wouldn't know from watching the news). This has changed the operation and dominance of Bloods and Crips. For example, some Blood and Crip gangs have put aside past beefs as numbers dip due to people moving out. Also, many gangs have just straight up died off because there are no new members due to the changes in population. I think there has been more pressure for some youth to join gangs in areas where the shifts have occurred for the mere fact that the number of youth is less then in previous generations. None of this was addressed in the film - meaning that the film brings nothing new to the understanding of how and why the gangs exist.

Did I Make the Right Choice?

2008-08-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

Events from last week had me briefly debating if I made the right choice to leave my last school and help start a new school. Last week, I received my test scores for world history 10. The history test is a difficult test because it is much more analytical than the other tests and requires a high reading level. 75% of my students scored basic or above! I'm not saying that is the greatest ever at all, and is still 10% lower than my suburban counterparts, but it was an improvement and it was one of the higher within my district.

Then, I received the teacher surveys. At the end of each year, admin conducts a computer-based survey that has the students rate the teachers in areas such as use of homework, knowledge of subject, engagement, discipline, ect. I was the highest rated teacher at my school and well above the average of my district. I am definitely not one to brag, but since it is done and over, that did bring me great joy!

The scores and the ratings were the result of 3 years of hard work. I don't know if I can repeat this, at least not right away. I am about to teach a class I have never taught. On top of that, I need to adjust to new students. That is why I briefly wondered if I made the right choice. But deep down, I know I have. I needed to get out of teaching that class. This next year will be difficult, but not impossible. I'll just keep working hard and hoping to make it!

Another Story of Violence

2008-08-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

This one starts on my block, seven year ago...a child found her mother killed and then was raped by the killer and left for dead. She is now testifying against the killer.

Click here for the full story.

4 Dead in 24 Hours in Athens

2008-08-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

These killings occurred on Sunday/Monday. The triple homicide took place about 5 minutes from my house, across the street from where I used to work. Then, a 17 year old football player was killed while riding his bike. Since the city, state, and federal government are clearly not concerned with this, it is up to us in the community to fix it. Of course, I would say the best solution is education. A proper education that teaches content, values, community, and self-empowerment could lead to a huge reduction in homicides. Check the full story at this link, or click on the picture.

Success!

2008-08-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days at Summer Bridge were a challenge. It was difficult to get everyone on point and focused. On our last day though, we came very close! We brought the students to USC for a scavenger hunt. The students were split into small groups and assigned a chaperone. This worked out very well. Even with extreme heat, there were almost no complaints as the groups competed to be the first ones done. After an extra long two weeks, it was great to see the students get involved, and have a good time. It was not perfect, but it was the best day of the two weeks. We came back, had lunch together, and we were done! Notably, the mood of the students improved significantly with a few of the most negative students absent....hmm something to think about!

Only in the Hood...

2008-08-05T21:26:00.001-07:00

So it is 11:30 at night and I am on the grind doing my work. Then, that hunger hits me! I need a snack. The only thing left open is the liquor store across the street. I put on my shoes and take the short walk. As soon as I get in, a middle-aged woman is cursing out the store owner. From what I could gather, it seemed that she felt that they had implied through a comment that she was some type of prostitute. She did not dress or appear to be a prostitute, but she felt they had implied in during a conversation that took place before I entered. So as she is cussing them out and explaining how insulted she is, she is also paying for liquor. She insults them by saying that they might do that for money, but not her…and then hands them the money for the liquor. I’m pretty sure they sell liquor for money! What confused me the most is this: if she felt truly insulted, why still buy the liquor at that store?

Expectations - Reflections

2008-08-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

The transformation of Locke High School to a charter school is a huge effort. It is so different that what the students are used to. Many students are coming from school environments that did not hold them accountable for anything. So we want to hold them accountable for everything. Although cognizant of where they are coming from, I am also adjusting to the age. I’m used to 15 and 16 year olds. With these 13 and 14 year olds, it is different to say the least. One advantage I have is that I know what they need for 10th grade and can hold them to that standard. So the California Conference for Justice and Equality (CCEJ) has come to our school to teach the students about everything from different forms of oppression to bullying and school action plans. Although a beautiful idea and presentation, it is difficult for our young student to sit still for a while and absorb some information (as would be expected). So we are seeing the worst of their behavior due to dis-engagement. Last year, I only had students leave class three times, all three were incidents involved them cursing or attempting to fight another student. I considered that terrible, and always look at what could I have done to have prevented that from ever coming up. I keep stuff pretty active, so there is not a lot of time for the extras. The year before last, I did not kick out any students the entire year. I hate to do it. Today, I had to ask two to leave to the dean, and wrote up seven. And all the poor facilitator (who is not a trained teacher) could say was “We all have to be here so we might as well participate…whatever.” Yea, that will get them engaged! Although I always look to what I can do, I also know that at least I am holding them accountable. I asked them to leave because their behavior was so outrageous that the example set for the other students was unacceptable. One student could not let go of the attitude! Another was cursing at a student. I never take it personal, and I know that the students have to adjust to expectations that they have never seen. We are asking them to work harder at school than they ever have in their lives. I know in due time, they will adjust and rise to the expectations and come to appreciate the structure. In the meantime, I’m just gonna keep the expectations and accountability high. And make sure I get a good night’s rest!

Values - Reflection

2008-07-29T19:53:00.001-07:00

I am still mad about the Inglewood police and the never ending violence, but I want to start to use this blog as a record of reflection as well.

I am currently work on Summer Bridge. I am the leadership teacher. Summer Bridge is a program for in-coming 9th graders to prepare them for the regular year. It is a two week program to get them on point. The first two week session went well, but I wanted to change a few of the lessons to be more meaningful. I tried to do a lesson on values today. I wanted to communicate to the students that we as a staff want to instill in them a value for personal responsibility at school.

I started the lesson by telling them a little about the new Locke High School. It has changed significantly. We looked at a map of the school and I showed them where our classrooms would be and how "big" our part of the campus was. Further, I showed them the schedule for the year, which includes 100 minute classes. The students were not thrilled about this information. Then, we looked to brainstorm what were some of their values and morals. We started as a class, and then the students had to pick their top 5 and explain why they are important. This went ok. One thing that disappointed me was that not all the students finished their work, even when prompted and checked. But I could have done a better job of making sure they were on point. Then, we broke up into groups and the students had to determine how to approach several different situations responsibly, such as being absent. Not all of the students understood that they were to solve the problem with a responsible solution. Also, some groups had a hard time starting or did not do very much of the work. Even though this was only a small part of the class, it was still a disappointment. To top it all off, we were interrupted by a minor earthquake in 3rd period. So I just don't feel that that class was on point. We had a lot of new students today and that probably contributed.

Bottom line, I want to do well and I want to connect with the students. I want to connect with them on the level that they connect because they enjoy the class and see the structure of the class. I left today disappointed because I want to do better. This year, I will be creating a curriculum around leadership and technology. I don't even know what this will look like. It is starting to make me nervous because I want to do well! I want to be the best of the best. I have been given a lot of credit over the last year. I definitely had the best 10th grade class at my school last year. Now that it is over there, I can say that (although I would never have said that during the year). I need to repeat that.

Another Man Shot in Inglewood by the Same Officer Who Shot the Teenager Earlier This Year

2008-07-22T23:13:00.000-07:00

This is just plain out ridiculous. The uncle of one of my students was this man's best friend. The man has two daughters and works at the post office. The police went to the wrong house. Check out more at this link. This is highly upsetting. I will post more tomorrow when I have more time.

Crazy As Usual

2008-07-09T23:58:00.001-07:00

With starting up a new school, I am busy as ever. I can't even find time to sit down and relax (notice I am writing this at midnight!). I have had a chance to travel a little bit. I went to see some family in the Bay and then some peoples in New Orleans. All while my girlfriend is in Cuba for two weeks! Anyway, here is a quick breakdown of the highlights.

Went to the Bay and celebrate my 4 year anniversary with my girlfriend (soon to be wifey!)
Went to New Orleans - the people have severe post-traumatic stress syndrome - They are struggling, but have a beautiful and proud culture
Came back to helicopters and arrests across the street. They are doing major sweeps across the area - These sweeps do absolutely nothing.
Another young Black man was shot by the cops in Inglewood and then another in Compton while I was gone.
On the positive, our school is coming together. I will post up our logo later.
At Locke, I was banged on by some South Los bangers. South Los is a Latino gang in the area - I am racially mixed and will often be perceived as many different ethnicities - including Latino.
I have so much work to do it is not even funny. I guess I should get to it.

So here's what happened...

2008-06-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

I have not updated this web site for a variety of reasons. I have been putting it up because I wanted to start writing essays on the site. However, I have had little to no time to actually write an essay. The topics were going to be problems of the Black Youth, causes of increase in homicides this year, and the elements of a good teacher. However, I have found myself unable to find the time to do this. I want to start using this site as a daily reflection of my teaching, supplemented with the neighborhood news (which I have not been keeping up with) and the essays. So, all said in done, expect more updates in the future!

First NY, Now Inglewood

2008-05-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

The cops have shot an innocent Black man in Inglewood. The man was with his friends trying to get away from gun shots, and the police start busting on him. He was unarmed, no criminal record, nothing. His crime was being a young Black man.

Here is what the LA Times reported.

I want to do something about this, but I don't know what. This is about 2-3 minutes from my house.

Site Updates

2008-04-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

I have added two things to my main blog page. The first is Google Street View. It is a view of my apartments. You can click on it and take a tour around my neighborhood. The second is a link to my ideology. It will gives you a breakdown of my values and how they relate to my actions. Check it out if you are interested!

South LA to UC Santa Barbara

2008-04-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at UC Santa Barbara! We checked out some classes, had a tour of the school with several current students, ate lunch, went to the admissions office for a presentation, went to the beach, and then all got jamba juice! All in all itwas a great trip! Thanks to everyone that participated!

It's Official

2008-04-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

At the end of this year, I will stop teaching world history at my current school. This is only my third year of teaching, and it is very difficult to switch schools. I will be a founding teacher at one of the new Animo Locke schools. Locke High School is located about 5 mins further away from my house than my current school, thereby increasing my daily commute from 3 minutes to 8 minutes. On the real though, this was a very difficult decision. Two factors drove my decision: inadequate leadership at my current school, and the opportunity to teach a technology class with no standards. None at all!

The new class will be a mix of technology, leadership, and ethnic studies. I will create the curriculum for it over the summer. This is where my real passion lies, and where I hope to have a greater impact on the youth than through world history.

Greendot Schools (who I will heavily criticize later) took over Locke High School and will be converting it into six separate schools. Greendot definitely has flaws, but the quality of education will be better than it is right now, without a doubt. That is why I stay with them.

The hardest part is facing the reality that I will be leaving my students. It has made this a very difficult decision.

Hard Time In Peace

2008-03-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

I got back from an HBCU Tour with my school about a week ago. We went
to Atlanta and DC. The trip was notbad, but while away, a guy about my
age was killed across the street. From the paint on the wall, it looks
like he was a banger. HT is for Hard Time Hustlers. I can't help but
feel that they make it hard on themselves.

The Good and The Bad

2008-03-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

The Good: Almost 40 of my students came out this Saturday for a CAHSEE review session in preparation for the exit test taking place this week. Although I philosophically view the exit test as a ridiculous penalty for students who are a result of inadequate school systems, I still want all my students to graduate. It was great to see them come out and put in some time on the weekend.

The Bad: The body of a man who is part of the Blocc Crips (who hang out across the street from the school) was found in the alley across the street from the school. I don't have many details on it yet, but regardless of his life choices, it still sucks.

Other News: I may have a chance to teach a technology class, still in South LA, but no longer down the street from my house. It is a very hard choice, because I want to teach the class, but I don't want to leave my school.

The Homicide Report

2008-02-23T23:26:00.000-08:00

There was an interesting article in the LA Times about the Homicide Report. The Homicide Report is a very sad collection of the endless homicides in LA. Living in the hood, I try to keep my ear to the street. But there are a lot of rumors and exaggerations. Also, the police will block off 3 or 4 blocks and not give you any heads up on what's going on. This blog has helped me keep better track of what's going on.

Speaking of what's going on, I have been incredibly busy. A lot of the teachers have been looking a little tired lately. I'm doing ok. Some days are rough, but I have been getting a lot of positive feedback from students lately. That always helps to brighten my days. I have a lot of life choices to make right now. I lay them on soon, but right now, I'm going to keep them in my head!

Crazy Days

2008-02-07T21:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a terrible day. I had seen a tag in the bathroom that I had seen on the streets on the East Side. It was BDSK crew written by Smoke. I was on the look out for who did it. Why? Because I believed that if we as a school got to him before the police, we could have a positive impact. I saw a kid in the bathroom and suspected it might be him because I see him in the bathroom a lot. I told him that he looked familiar and wondered where he stayed. Coincidentally, right around the corner from where I saw the tag. I let the principal know. Unfortunately, this kid had a blunt, some weed, and a razor on him. What started as a mission to help redirect a lost youth ends with the principal having to call the police, and another young male entering the system.

Today, things were no better. After school, a young banger from the gang across the street from the school was getting arrested. In front of the school, another kid from another gang was banging on one of our students and hit him in the face. Then they saw some Hoovas and tried to bang on them. On top of that, two of our students started fighting also. Outside, while working with security, I couldn't tell who was who because our new dress code allows almost any colored sweatshirt, so students can blend in. This new leadership at the school is weak. The dress code should be stricter and the security of the school more regulated. This is always what happens with people from outside the hood making decisions. It is extremely frustrating.

It is hard to see, but in the background, you can see a cop car where the kid was arrested this afternoon.

Shouldn't I Be Asleep!

2008-01-27T23:27:00.000-08:00

While I should be asleep, I thought I would sneak in a quick post. Last Friday was a very special event at the school. The seniors had put together a teacher appreciation night. I taught the seniors on my first year of teaching, and needless to say, it was a bit rough around the edges. Each former teacher of of their class had a speech about them and their class. I was very nervous as to what was going to be said. One of my current TAs made the speech. She spoke on how I dress (dickies and a polo, every color available) to my balance to work and activities to how we would discuss CNN News. Overall, I was glad that she and others saw above some of the surface level stuff and got what I wanted to teach. It was a good night and I'm glad I went. The weekend was quiet, and I ready for the next week. At least I think so...

MLK Day and Finals

2008-01-23T21:48:00.000-08:00

I went to check out the MLK Parade on Monday. I have gone the last few years because I usually know someone in the parade and will usually see a couple of my students. The MLK parade in LA is right in the hood and is known for violence, sadly enough. There was a bit of a low turnout because of the weather. There were a ton of police. Some of them really looked like they were just waiting to beat someone down. I saw a couple people being arrested as I walked through the crowd. The was a mix of the smell of rain and weed in the air. There were probably more gang bangers out together this year than I have seen in a while. I'm not exaggerating or putting it on either. Dudes had the tats and the rags to prove it. It made me wonder what attracts them to the parade. Is it just because it is the neighborhood? Is it because of the large crowd, and the chance to holla at the females? Or is it because there is something about Dr. King that attracts them to the parade. Some sense of pride or recognition? Although some would disagree, I think that because it is MLK, that does relate to the turnout. This is probably one of the few events that even bangers are openly invited too, despite the high police presence, and the lack of creative floats and performances! It's a catch-22...these young guys need to be invited into the community, but at the same time, they come to the parade and tear it up. The next day as a few students asked if I went a few others said they didn't because they didn't want to "get shot." It is sad when people don't want to come out for a community event because of the real fear of violence.

The first day back was also the day before the finals. One student came in distraught because his friend was killed at a party over the weekend. Another student lost a cousin outside of the U.S. This is a lot to work with right before the test. Some other students were unfocused for a variety of other reasons. As part of their study guide I had given them 60 multiple choice questions from previous tests, and told them that 30 of those questions would be on the test. Then I made 30 new questions based on our last unit, which we have not tested on. In addition, they were given the answers to 60 questions. I felt like I really set them up to be successful, but also required that they study. Some real took advantage, and some did not. More finals' updates coming soon.

First Week Back To School

2008-01-12T20:11:00.001-08:00

The first week back to school went ok. My lessons were decent, though I am still trying to improve student performance and behavior. Students came back with a gang of problems, and I am lucky to be able to respond the various levels of "stuff" that comes up. I'm still trying to push the 10th graders to excel beyond average. Some are taking heed, others are not. Either way, we have one more week of school, then finals week and then a new semester.

Around the neighborhood it has been ok. A few gunshots went off yesterday, but it seemed like they were just shooting off into the air. Only problem is those bullets gotta come down. Good reason to stay inside for the night! There has been an increase in graffiti lately, but things are a bit calm. I'm also real busy, so I am probably missing some of what is going on. That's it.

First Week Back In LA

2008-01-03T18:17:00.001-08:00

After the first week back, things around my hood are pretty slow. A
lot of the younger people are out during break. It doesn't slow down
too much through. There was a helicopter out for a little over an hour
the other day. Then there was a fire in the intersection area where
there are some shrubs. And to top it off the lights were off for an
hour on the first of the month! Great way to bring in the new year!

Just back from a road trip to the Bay

2007-12-28T23:14:00.001-08:00

I got a lot of pictures from a trip to visit family in the Bay. This
is one of my favorite pictures. While it was a relaxing trip, the hood
never rest. At Jesse Owens, right up the street, two college students
were killed yesterday. According to the police, they were killed for
no apparent reason. Life in the hood never makes sense. Hopefully the
young student is in a place like the beautiful pictures below.

Century and Budlong

2007-12-21T22:08:00.000-08:00

On my way to the post office, I nearly got run over by the cops! They were heading east. After I dropped off my mail, I had to head that way to stop by the t-shirt store on Manchester and Vermont. I saw the helicopter out, so I cut through Normandie. They had 3 streets blocked up in the 90s, pretty close to the liquor store where a kid was killed two weeks ago. Nothing had been reported yet, but I'm pretty sure that someone was killed. That area has had one of the highest homocide rates in LA. It is about a mile from where I'm at, and I know a lot of students that live right there. My girlfriend said the same area was blocked off but on the other side of Century this afternoon. Mad craziness while everyone rushes to do their holiday shopping. I had to do mine today, and I'm exhausted now. But I still got the easy life, in comparison to so many around me.

Deep In The Hood...

2007-12-19T23:31:00.000-08:00

Today was the last day of school before winter break. I am exhausted and can just barely keep my mind together. The last week has been difficult. I have been sick and I have barely been sleeping, all why trying to keep up my class. One of my former students is trying to survive the murder of his mother. That was a difficult thing to see. I sometimes feel like I have lost my connection with some students, as new connections develop. I'm trying to do my best. It was hard with being sick as well. The streets were hot last week, but seemed to get quiet this week. We have a new student at the school from Bangladesh. He is the only dude that from Bangladesh at the school, and probably the only one in South Central! We were talking about factory labor and he was talking about a gun factory that employs 5-7 year olds in his country. He used to make 300 guns a day. We must be crazy over here in the States to feel so bad for ourselves and act like we got it hard. Ain't nobody in the hood making 300 guns a day when they were kids. Not to take away from our suffering, but dang! So this post is all over the place. This break is going to be good. I'll get to finally slow down.

Rough Day

2007-12-12T22:11:00.001-08:00

Today, I found out that one of past student's mother was murdered. He is a senior, getting ready to graduate. She was a single mother. I will have more information soon. Furthermore, while at work, I found out that my street was blocked off after a shoot out. Things get much worse during the holiday, always.

Black Rider Liberation Party Incarcerated On Charges Of Attempted Possession Of Some Fullys

2007-12-10T20:06:00.001-08:00

Here is a link to the story: Black Rider Liberation Party, centered in South Central, were jailed because of supposedly agreeing to buy automatic weapons. In my opinion, this was a dumb move on their part. I agree with their basic philosophy, described by the rollers as "anti-government, anti-police and pro-Black unity. BRLP members believe that the Black community would be better served if they governed their own people. They also believe that the system of capitalism is oppressive and dehumanizing to the Black community." This is similar to Larry Hoover, founder of the Gangster Disciples' idea that the hood needed its own government. But trying to buy fullys, which really ain't even necessary is a big mistake. It is the same mistake that Larry Hoover made as he attempted to buy a rocket launcher from Libya and tried to get money by offering to start violence in the U.S. You got to learn from the history. The battle for the Black community, the Latino community, any community, any hood, is a battle of philosophy, psychology, and ideology, none of which require a gun.

Winter Formal At The School, Chaos In The Hood

2007-12-09T23:46:00.000-08:00

My school had its Winter Formal last night, and had the lowest turn-out ever. My usual job of Freak Patrol was not even needed! On the way back from the dance at LMU (which was under Internet threat) I came down Van Ness and everything looked clean because of the recent rain and calm. When I walked in the door, Christina told me I just missed a caravan of police with blow horns and helicopters. Dang, it just never stops! Tonight, helicopters were out over by the school too. But on the positive, a lot of the seniors are making huge strides toward college. A lot of students came and just said what's up to me at the dance as well. That was really nice. Another post is coming soon!

The Life of a Teacher

2007-12-07T23:30:00.000-08:00

The life of a teacher can be tiring and difficult at times. This week was extremely hard. There were meetings to go to, student drama, grading, and everything else. Some the lessons don't completely hold their attention. I think it is because most of education has nothing to do with everyday life. Knowing algebra isn't gonna keep you safe on the streets on your way home from school. If someone is gonna jack you, it just isn't gonna help. So, what is the solution?

The Streets Is Hot

2007-12-04T21:49:00.000-08:00

Last night was a chorus of emergency vehicles. There seemed to be an endless number of them running up and down Century. To top it off, the helicopters was out by mid-night. A 16 year old was killed about a mile away the other day as well at a corner store famous for its graffiti. It is an all out war right now. It always seems to get worse during the holidays. I think because family problems are magnified and people are trying to hustle to keep up with the "tradition" of giving huge amounts of expensive gifts at the end of each year. What a waste.

Porky's Is Good

2007-11-28T22:49:00.000-08:00

This is me and Christina's favorite spot over in Inglewood. I had a great burger from them last night.

Young Fellas Doing It Big

2007-11-28T22:42:00.001-08:00

Here is a good example of something positive in the hood. These young guys got together for a small project in class where they created a song. The stereotype is that young males don't get along, but here they did.

Promoting Death

2007-11-28T22:07:00.001-08:00

This was taken at what used to be a big gang spot on 104th and Western. To me, it shows what the media portrays in the hood. It is suggesting that problems should be solved with guns. You got a gun? Use it! That's what it is saying. "Hitman" and "Killpoint," these are the messages that are constantly reinforced.

Helicopter scares the kids as police rush to neighbors house

2007-11-25T19:56:00.001-08:00

As I was about to call Christina tonight, I heard a bunch of sirens and a helicopter over head. I'm not sure what happened, but the kids outside said the helicopter scared them. It seemed like the cops were doing too much to me.