Some of the young people that I work with brought this article to my attention today, based on a peaceful protest that they organized this past week to protest a policy that they view as unjust. Above, I will post my response. Ironically, Megan Woolhouse took me to work for Take Your Daughters to Work day when I was 10 years old as a result of a letter to the editor that I wrote to one of her male colleagues. I urge others to also respond to this one-sided coverage of young people organizing for their rights.
200 protest tardiness penalty
Roxbury school put in lockdown
Two hundred students at the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science in Roxbury protested a crackdown on tardiness yesterday by blocking doors and hallways and preventing hundreds of other students from getting to class on time.
School officials locked down the school after the protest, banning people from entering and exiting and keeping students in the same classroom the last two periods of the day.
“The headmaster put the school in safe mode,” said Jonathan Palumbo, a spokesman for the Boston school system. “Any issue going on in the hallway needs to be addressed quickly.”
The protest was unusual at the school, which typically has a well-behaved student body of 1,300 and boasts test scores in math that are among the top in the state. Officials said two fights had broken out at the school earlier this year. When students came back from the recent school vacation week, the school’s headmaster, Joel Stembridge, found many more students loitering in the hallways and taking seven to eight minutes to get to class, instead of the typical four minutes, Palumbo said.
Stembridge rounded up many of the tardy students Tuesday, bringing them to the auditorium and requiring them to write “a reflection” on why they were late.
Yesterday the students responded. More than 200 blocked hallway and classroom doors, causing the entire student body to be late for class.
Palumbo backed Stembridge’s actions. “Apparently they’re upset with a reinforced policy,” Palumbo said. “They did this, as opposed to taking a more healthy approach to voicing their displeasure.”
Stembridge said no such protest took place in his four years at the school. “We have 1,300 wonderful students and 1,300 amazing things going on here,” he said. “It’s sad that this is what we’re in the newspaper for.”
Megan Woolhouse can be reached at mwoolhouse@globe.com.
32 responses so far ↓
vanessa // March 1, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I am a junior at the John D O’bryant and what happened yesterday in school wasnt surprising. We understand that the administrators in the school just wants us to get to class on time, but they just dont understand that some do try but CANT. Having a class in building 2 and having to go to the science building while the halls are crowded of TOO MANY kids is impossible. Students even go through the backstaircase which is off limits just to get there on time. But when we get caught we have to pay the consequences for tryin to get to class on time. These sweeps that started taking place when we came back from vacation was a good plan but the students or the parents weren’t told about this new policy which made us upset. Protesting against this was a good idea and showed that we wanted our voices to be heard.
Patrick Coren // March 1, 2008 at 10:44 pm
First of all, in our school, the John D. O’bryant, we have alot of Madison Park students who are constantly in our building for no reason at all. Then when we here that if for any reason we are in the hallways that we are subject to detention, suspension hearings, and getting searched it really upset the student body. So the students decided to peacefully protest by not going to class on time. It’s not as if we were trying to prevent people from going to class. We basically wanted to get the attention of the teachers and administrators because they don’t really listen to what we have to say. If there was a different way to get there attention, I am sure that route would have been taken instead. Also the new tardy policy is not fair to the students who do try to make it to class on time but are not able to. In between classes the hallways are so conjested and the younger kids (7th and 8th graders) take their time getting to class which prevents us from arriving on time. When students do try to make an effort to get to class on time/early by running, walking a little faster or whatever it takes, we get in trouble with teachers because running in the halls is not allowed which we, the students, understand but its not fair to us. The way our classes are spread out makes it impossible to get to class on time, and we are getting penalized for it. It’s not our fault, we are not the one’s who made up our schedule. This has been an ongoing problem for a long time but we feel that the way the administrators went about trying to solve it was not a good one. They say that by being in the hallways when we are supposed to be in class that we are wasting valuable class time but what they don’t realize is by sending us to the auditorium when we are late is that we are missing even more class time by staying in there for 15-20 more minutes like what happened before. So their plan to have us in class longer and earlier is actually indeed keeping us out of class missing important information in which some teachers will not repeat for just a couple of students. The peaceful protest that was assembled on February 29th was about the new policy but it also had something to do with the fustration of our student body. There are so many things in our school that are not right but for a long time we have put up with them, especially the kids that have been there since the 7th grade. Our students also feel that some our administrators and teachers do not care about us. This was re-inforced by a comment made by an administrator. “As of right now we don’t care, we don’t care if we have to suspend 1, 5, 10 or 55 of you guys right now, we don’t care” If they really cared about us they would try to work with us but they have not made any attempts to so we feel as thought we, the students, are not a priority but our scores on tests like the MCAS are more important.
Ashley Costa // March 2, 2008 at 12:04 am
This article did no justice for the school whatsoever. Headmaster Stembridge was not even in attendance when the event took place. Palumbo says, “Any issue going on in the hallway needs to be addressed quickly.” Had our headmaster been present, action could have been taken quickly. Containment happened nearly three hours after the fact. In my eyes, that contradicts the idea of addressing the issue quickly. The policy is ineffective and very contradictory to the headmaster’s own belief that every second of class counts. Removing students from the hallways for up to 25 minutes after class begins does not live up to this idea. Furthermore, the idea of this policy was not brought to the attention of the students before it was enforced and, according to the Boston Public Schools Code of Discipline, “students have the right to participate in the development of rules and regulations to which they are subject and the right to be notified of such rules and regulations.”
aneudy // March 2, 2008 at 12:54 am
this is an unfair policy to have because our classrooms are all over the building and even outside of the building…i dont think its right because we have like 3 minutes to get to classes that are like 5 minutes away
John // March 2, 2008 at 1:02 am
OB was hawt!
dat protest we did yesturday was kewl! da teacehrsz were shook!!! lmao
kathy // March 2, 2008 at 1:05 am
they deff. forced it wit dis article!
just because we dont like wutsz goin on in our skul dont mean dey got 2 publish it on da newsz but hey
OB will go down in history
Concerned student // March 2, 2008 at 1:16 am
It is unfortunate that in the article there is absolutely no student input. This article not only makes the school look bad, but also portrays the students as barbarians. What was done on Friday was inappropriate and cannot be justified. However the 1300 students are always well behaved, but like every school we do have our own share of knuckleheads. Yet the problem still remains at hand, the students are unhappy with the sudden regulations, but we are willing to make efforts with administration. We want a democracy.
Abel // March 2, 2008 at 1:35 am
Im not putting my real name because I will probably get suspended for this, but this article does not show the point of view of the students. Instead, it only shows the staff’s point of view.
First of all, large amounts of students have been getting to class late the entire year. Not because they want to loiter, but because the time in which we have to get to the classes between periods are too short. We have to go to our lockers because we cannot carry with the large amounts of notebooks and HUGE books we have to carry. Some classes are actually located in Madison Park High and some are just located in other buildings like the science building. To get from the basement to the 3rd floor and have time to go to your locker is a hassle especially with the large amount of students in the hallway.
The students aren’t the ones to blame. The staff is. The way in which the switch between periods is handled is not affective enough.
Thayse Mendonca // March 2, 2008 at 2:11 am
As student at John D. O’Bryant we are atomatically suppose to do what is right because that is what we are thought. However when we stood our grounds on friday the school felt that we were wrong. I understand that the way we went about it was wrong however we had no choice since we are never heared by adults in our school. All the students want is the right to be heared.
Anonymous.. // March 2, 2008 at 2:12 am
Wow… =O is all I can say right now…Im from the school and well I just have to say I dont think what happened was THAT serious to put the whole school on lockdown or “containment” But I DO think the whole day was hilarious!! I wasn’t part of the protest but it sure made my day. About time something interesting happened at that school and about time someone stood up to the ridiculous rules in that school. And whats up with the locking the library after 2pm so none can pass through? what are we like jailed dogs now? And whats up with the no entering the library except you get a pass from the librarian in the morning. What if some people cant make it to school early in the morning and they need the library? What next? And whats up with the new early morning detention? yea like Im really gonna roll off my cozy warm bed early on a snowy morning to attend something I detest..yes, that’ll happen….I could go on forever, but that would accomplish nothing. My point summed up in two words? Support the Kids! oh wait, thats three..you get my point
Anonymous.. // March 2, 2008 at 2:17 am
oh and one more thing before i leave..they cancelled prom and graduation? They cant do that can they? well I’ll have my own prom or go to my friend’s. As long as i get my diploma, I care this much **blank face** about walking the stage physically.
kathleen // March 2, 2008 at 2:23 am
Im a student at the O’Bryant
and the protest shouldn’t be “against the district of the bps blahh” because it was non-violent, the rules escorting us to the auditorium is RIDICULOUS.
Student From the O'Bryant // March 2, 2008 at 3:19 am
So basically, being a student at the school, I have more understanding on what is going on. The headmaster decided after vacation to tell his students over the morning loud speaker that there was going to be this new rule. How he explained it was that if you are late then the school will search you and your locker. A lot of the students found this as a threat and ticked a lot of them off. And then he told us that if we were late to class x number of times then there is a chance that we would get suspended. For those of you who didn’t know, the O’Bryant is not a very large school and it keeps adding more and students every year bit by bit, the halls are crowded. I do not go to my locker every period and I do not linger in the halls. I can’t. I do not want to risk my grades my Junior year of highschool. In order to get to class from my science building to my 4th period class on time, I literally have to run, causing myself to push people out of my way, which I’m not allowed to do. We are not allowed to run, and if we are caught pushing people, you bet I would get in trouble. So in order to be on time, I am breaking yet more rules and putting more people at risk to get injuries. To get from lunch to my 5th period class I have to do almost the same thing, but I cannot run because I have to go down stairs. I am not pushing people, or running down the stairs in my school. We, as students, could have definitely done more before protesting. I actually wasn’t in the ‘protest’ and I was at my 3rd period class on time. I do understand that my headmaster is trying to make things safer and more efficient in my school, but I do not believe that he is taking the right steps necessary. He is making this school feel like a prison, and I am not comfortable with that. In order for the students to learn, we have to be comfortable with out enviroment, and I wasn’t comfortable with it before and his judgements and rules are making everything worse. I don’t understand how he is being this strict to get to class on time, yet he isn’t this strict to get to school on time. A simple detention would do, that’s what he gives us if we are late for school. I just hope everything gets worked out, because I don’t want to feel all this tension until the end of the school year. I still have another year in this place, and I do not want everything to change. I have been here since 7th grade, and I am already used to this routine, I think it’s a good routine. Look at our rest scores. Mine might not be perfect, but look at the test scores as a whole. We are a good school, with good students. We are all tired and confused… all we want to do is talk to the headmaster and administrators, we want them to listen to our point of views. I want some of these people to try to go through all these students crowded in the halls trying to get to their classes and I want them to see if they are able to get to a far away class in 4 minutes. If they can get to all these hard to get to classes through the crowd then I will agree with them. Chances are, they won’t be able to.
Anonymous // March 2, 2008 at 3:33 am
Well, I go to a diff school. In my school we could care less about getting to school on time. The teachers feel the same way. Why fight these hoodlums to get to class. Let them loiter, its their future they are ruining. The kids that want to learn will go to class, the ones who dont wont. Grow up! You guys are almost adults. Obryant babies their students too much. They need a taste of the real world, and no, im not talking about the hood. They need to learn to be responsible. Ban those kids from prom ad graduation. I wish I was headmaster over there.
N/a // March 2, 2008 at 5:43 pm
This is some bullshit how the hell can they do this to us …………. if we’re suppose to be one of the best schools in boston why are we being treated like in prison come on last time i checked this was a high school not daycare leave us the fuck alone and let us do us real talk
Anita Osmeni // March 2, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I used to go to the Obryant, and i heard about the protest incident. I think the headmaster, and administrators and being ridiculous about this whole issue. People have always been late to class. When i went to OB and Mr. Austin was trying to get me to go to class, and i actually wanted/ tried to make it on time, i wouldn’t be able to. Too many kids would crowd around the locker areas, the hallways, the library floor, the basement, and the cafes. The school has an overwhelming number of students, and the administrators did not respond the way they should of. Even though i haven’t stepped foot in that school since last school year, it is outrageous to think that they kept students under a lock down. Mr. Stembridge has never really been involved with anything that happens to the students. I myself had a bad 2 years at the Obryant, because i got suspended a lot, but i don’t EVER remember Mr Stembridge being there. He just kind of looked at me, smiled, and talked away with Mr Sullivan. The school is filled with a lot of smart students, and I’m assuming Friday didn’t involve a riot, it involved a protest. I am only disappointed that no one called me. I wish i would of been there.
Anonymous // March 2, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Hey, first of all I want to start with, why write an article with only the Administration side of the story? In my opinion the article should have both the Admin and the student’s side of the story. I feel as though the students side of the story or opinion does not matter, because accordingly “The Administration has more power” and are the only ones that should have a voice.
Referring to “200 protest tardiness penalty” article I was upset reading it. To me it made the students seem like they were wrong, or bad about the protest. First of all, we were not harming anybody. There was no violence involved at all; it was just a peaceful protest. If I could remember correctly there was no one was harmed.
The reason for this protest was because of the New Tardy Policy. Most students in the school do not agree with. According to this policy, as soon as the bell rings the students should be in the classroom, and if not they would be taken to the auditorium. A student could be four steps from the classroom when the bell rings and they will be taken to the auditorium. Even students who have pass are being taken to the auditorium. When we are at the auditorium according to the Admin we are not allowed to ask question or DISCUSS ANYTHING. Some students have to travel from the science building to the middle school building, that is a long way:; and as hard as they try to get there on time they are always late. They should be at least able to consider some students who have to travel a long way.
There are so many reasons why the students are mad about this new policy. One is THE ADMIN DID NOT TELL THE TEACHERS ABOUT THIS POLICY. Most of the teachers did not know what was going on, they were really confused. When the policy first started the teachers were wondering what happened to most of the students who were no in class. To be honest most of the teachers did not even agree with this policy. Another reason we are upset about this policy is people who are late to class THEY ARE GOING TO START SEARCING US, OUR BAGS OUR LOCKERS. I want to know what the reason is for this. They are treating us like we are criminals. In most of my classrooms I feel like I am in a jail cell because I cannot even look out the windows. Also keeping us on lockdown. I had to use the restroom really bad and I was not allowed to until school was over, my teacher offered me to use a trash can. I was not going to urinate in no trash can. Also students are upset about this policy because; THEY SENT A LETTER HOME DAYS AFTER THEY STARTED THIS POLICY, AND EXCLUDED SOME INFORMATION FROM THIS LETTER. Example they left out the part where they were going to be searching students. I DISAGREE WITH THEM NOT WARNING US ABOUT THIS POLICY, AND NOT TELLING US THEY WERE GOING TO START DOING THIS. THEY ARE TRYING TO KEEP US FROM BEING LATE TO CLASS YET, WHEN THEY PUT STUDENT IN THE AUDITORIUM THEY ARE LIKE 20 MIN OR MORE LATE TO CLASS. I think they should have thought of a better policy for keeping students from being late to class.
I do agree that we were a little on the wrong side of the way we decided to protest. I think we should have organized ourselves more and write a letter and sign a petition, instead of being late to class. We just wanted to be heard. Anonymous
Jamelia // March 2, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I am a student at O’Bryant and what we did on Friday was a sign of greatness. The students at our school are often divided, by class or between friends by race. On Friday we united together for a common cause. The idiotic sweep policy that helps students miss more class time than usual.
Unfortunately the way we went about the protest was as stupid as the new policy. We never got our points across and the administration didn’t hear us: because we didn’t speak!
That said Mr. Stembridge’s lockdown of the school was overly excessive and it didn’t help the situation at all.
Mr. Stembridge doesn’t know what is best for his students and he needs to get off his high horse because he is never at the school. Mr. Sullivan is our headmaster and I believe he should be instead of being Mr. Stembridge’s puppet. He has been at the school years before Stembridge and knows the students better. So don’t blame the students for this protest.
BLAME THE ADMINISTRATION!
PABLO // March 2, 2008 at 8:21 pm
YOU KNOW WHAT I AINT AFRAID TO SAY WHO I AM- I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS SCHOOL, MY NAME IS PABLO OVALLES IM FROM THE JOHN D.OBRYANT ———– i think dat da whole article is trash—–y da hell hell would u askk the oipion of da headmaster, he wasnt even there he was to afraid and hid in his office.
da only way i could get to my last class is if i run, which is also against da rules and second it would make me look retarted.
so instead of risking getiin cought running or falling down da stairs and dying i would rather be 2 minutes late to class.
LMAO id like to give a shout out to everyone at ob people dat help me realize how horrible dis school is:
Diane
Jamie
Courtney
Micheal
wendy
joseph
evelyn
michell
evryone in my 6th period class(without u guys i would never get spanish homework)
tom from myspace for letting me spread things around
aim-for also letting me spread things around
walfare school luches- i wouldve never hated da school dis much if it werent for u
jismaly -for stabbin my arm with a pen
a lot of my horrible teachers –for showin how little u care
THANK YOU ALL
PABLO // March 2, 2008 at 8:32 pm
wait im not done
: pierlene- for being a horrible female basketbell player lmao
karen for breakin da flower i gave her
abel for owing me money
vicky for laughing hard
linda for being short
ramaira for being annoying
joeseph for making us lose (history project) lol jp
liam for pushing people in da hallways
fiordaliz for being threatning
claribel for her romantic anime books
iasiah for his stolen glasses
melinda for looking like pocahontas
fabiene for hurtin people
sabrina for living in da projects
lydia for being inappropriate
stephanie for bieng quite
jomar for wearing a suit
chantall for screaming like a cat
linicker for drwing cruel pictures
jessica for knowinf a trillion columbians
alice for having our own hndshakes
taliah for getting kicked out of class with me
and me for bieng da best person in da world
no name lol // March 2, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Ok I go to OB I think that this whole thing was taken way out of context. I know what they where trying to do….but I DON’T support it [the protest] because think about it, this is going to ruin everything and all of the things that were about to happen at school. dont get me wrong I don’t support THE SWEEP either, but if im able to get to class on time, then you guys should too…yes, I was mad when on the first day they took me to the auditorium when I was just literally 2 steps away from entering my class and I had already been in there..I just forgot something in my locker and I went back to get it. but getting the media involved was something that shoudn’t have happened, its too much negative attention. Great going guys, way to represent OB.
Concern student // March 2, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I am a 8th grader at OB and i do agree with upper classmen. My sister is a junior there and she does tell me that she isnt able to get to class on time. I do agree that most of my fellow middle schoolers do walk to class very slowly but im not one of them. I have gym in madison and if im late to get back to OB they start questioning me. I know that some of the highschool students thinks its our fault that we are the slow ones but i do agree with them and i suport them. On friday after the protest when they were kicking everyone out of school i went to dudly with a few of my friends. There i saw some of the student s that went to OB so i decided to greet them, one of them who was my sisters friend, was saying how there are way to many kids at OBryant and that the reason she is doing this is because they dont want us to suffer and they dont want to suffer the rest of the time they are at that school. I wasnt part of the ‘protest’ on friday because of course i was on the second floor and going all the way to the highschool area would just get me in more trouble. I do support the upper classmen and think that the teachers made a mistake for inforceing a new rule without informing the student or there parents. We as a school together and united as a whole. That is something to be proud of.
Our test scores are excellent as a whole and the are going to penalize us because we are late? That is just something really messed up.
Spizz // March 2, 2008 at 9:57 pm
my response to another youth development worker who told me of what the POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES of this unfolding event maybe.
Thank you for the update. I had every intention of processing the event with my mentee who attends OB. Whether seniors or first year students were involved parents, students, faculty, and concerned community members need to process the day’s events BEFORE consequences are handed out. I think it was a HEALTHY form of communication.
Students are entitled to prom and graduation once they successfully apply themselves and if they decide to participate in these activities, so be it.
To take that right away would not send a very positive message and would not be a healthy response. We have enough academic issues with school segregation, bussing, fluctuating MCAS results, drop out rates, poor physical conditions, teacher turnover, poorly developed and poorly delivered curriculum. Need I go on? The issue of tardiness stems from greater basic needs that must be addressed.
I struggled with being on time at Boston Latin Academy. At times when I was too late, I either missed class AND still had to go to detention afterschool. Not only does the policy which the article failed to adequately describe prohibitm learning, it affects teachers ability to help struggling students and students from being effectively educated.
I am still postulating my response to Megan artice’s and will most definitely follow up with my mentee upon my return to Boston. Senior year is hard enough and our youth need our support more than ever.
Something they hold so dear and SPECIAL like prom and graduation are what they look forward to. They EARN the right to attend and taking that away would be terribly wrong.
I shall continue to do my research and support the students and families affected by this accordingly.
Peace, 1 Love & Success,
Spizz, ya Sista in the Struggle
your responses are very insightful…keep right, raising awareness and voicing your concerns. this is a TEACHING & LEARNING moment for EVERYONE!
Spizz // March 2, 2008 at 10:24 pm
peace everyone!
the college i graduated from struggled with transition times between classes as well and ending up changing the ENTIRE schedule for the entire institution to PROVIDE more TIME to get to classes times, after many complaints and thoughtful discussion.
I had to drop out of certain classes, because the campus walking commute was too wide and sometimes the campus bus would get stuck in student traffic. a spanish teacher threatened to kick me out a class i was paying for when i flatly told him from day 1 i would be late everyday.
we worked it out and i did exceptionally well.
Students should CONTINUE to organize, SPEAK & PEN their EXPERIENCES to present this and other concerns and potential consequences to the Boston Public School Committee and the new Superintendent.
The Committee has one student member from BLA & meets on Wednesdays evenings; general meetings are open to the public.
Check this site for more info:
http://www.boston.k12.ma.us/schcom/schedule.asp
Next Open meeting:
Wednesday March 19
5:00 P.M. - Budget Hearing
6:00 P.M. - Regular Meeting
You have all exercised a basic human right, and should be proud of yourselves. It’s encouraging to see that you care about your education and staying in school.
You want to make the most of the time you have to learn and should be supported, not penalized. The policies needs to be revamped without question.
Your concerns are relevant and keep focusing on getting your needs met. The struggle continues, but you have the answers and can positively thrive in uncertain times.
Stay positive and as you together aspire to create positive changes, together you shall all achieve a new skills, knowledge and personal growth.
continue to do the RIGHT/WRITE things!
ya’ll got mad support and this momentum should encourage you to do more!
.peace.love.n.continued success.
Spizz, BPS alumna & survivor
~*~inspiration is free~*~
JOHN DOE // March 2, 2008 at 11:27 pm
wut we did waz gangsta!!!! fuc yea!!! who else bu us!!!!OB STAND UP!!!!!
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[...] Disappointing Coverage of Young People in the Boston Globe Some of the young people that I work with brought this article to my attention today, based on a peaceful protest that […] [...]
Trini // March 3, 2008 at 3:31 am
All I have to say is, we are not bad kids. Some of us make the effort actually many of us make the effort, so why punish all? All of us are coming together uniting fighting the cause for different reasons. People can be so ignorant not understanding the full issue, and want to say things about us. JOEL STEMBRIDGE and all adminstrators at the school had a very good point getting to class is very important but as people said we did on Friday JOEL went about it the wrong way. Find a more productive more effective way to handle the issue ADMINISTRATORS, because if you dont we will continue to shut down our learning environment. The school should be more flexible and try different things I can think of a number of ways that they can change the number of stundents that are tardy. Why dont they talk to the teachers who don’t punish the kids for being late. That’s a start if a student knows they have a teacher who gives detention see’s them being late for class they will try their hardest to get their on time, that can easily solve the loittering issue. As for just being late give us more TIME, we are coming from so many different places with not enough ways to get there, if that’s not an option allow us to use the backstairs. Each teacher has a free period and there is school police jus have them monitor those stairwells every so often. Come on STEMBRIDGE THINK!!!! GOSH
OB FRESHMEN WITH A LOT OF IDEAS!!
... // March 3, 2008 at 3:51 am
Well I must say Anonymous that your school is what is problem with education today. Grow up, maybe you should tell your principle and teachers to do their job. That is why people look down upon the Boston Public School system, because of teachers and principals like the one in your school. You want to talk about the real world, while us O’bryant students are doctors and lawyers, you will be asking paper or plastic. You know why, because your school did not prepare you for the real world. You call us students babies but I bet that your school probably has its own day care. I do not mean to become catty but you need to understand that as a student we do have the right to an system that cares about the students in it. It seems like your school should be next to protest because I do not have to go there to see that something is wrong. It’s about rights, where we understand that we have them and we used them accordingly. If you decide to be victimized by an unjust system then you are a coward.
lil loud mouth // March 3, 2008 at 4:10 am
who ever left that last comment……how the hell do u know that Obryant babies us if u dont go to our school…go to our school then get at us…anyway alll i have to say was that the protest was funy…but necessary. i cud go on and on and on about the issues in our school, but yall shud already know..they so forced it though in the newspaper saying we wer blocking doors . i wasnt there at the protest but im pretty sure that no one was blockking doors. were were simply in the damn hallway
KPmle // March 10, 2008 at 1:24 am
I’m a senior student at the John D. O’Bryant.
It’s a shame that such a newspaper like the Boston Globe has writers who whip up articles without any effort to research the actual situation. And though it may seem the students protested a tardiness policy, it was not that, but that students who were supposedly “safe” by this new rule, also got in trouble. The way the school dealt with the whole protest was reckless and they put the students in a far more worse situation than they claim we did.
Referring to the protest and its blocking of all students to classes : There were much more students in the classes as those who were not. Anyone who wanted to go to class on time, had the time to, and anyone else who was in the hallways after the bell was participating in the movement. There were no doors or exits that were blocked, but there were students being attacked by faculty and administration. The school then locked down for no reason at all and put the students in possible danger. Some people had no idea of what was going on and went hysterical.
I’m ashamed to be a student from this school, the staff either needs to be replaced or discipline to handle similar and future situations as adults, not children.
KPmle // March 10, 2008 at 1:26 am
sorry to come back, I forgot to say there are rumors of students being suspended and even expelled because of this silent protest.
The school needs desperate help.
KPmle // March 10, 2008 at 2:06 am
sorry again, no one protested to block any door. the only time all access to classroom and the school were blocked, was when the school initiated locked down. (for foolish reasons by the way)
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