***READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED***
Posts about real school tragedy, crime and/or events can be upsetting.
BLOG POST #171: This week, I’m sharing research on a specific crime that occurred a few years ago involving a high school Dean of Academy and a 17-year-old student.
New Job
The 50-something man was selected from a pool of about 50 applicants and had been with the high school serving as the Dean of Academy and family outreach coordinator for two months.
The newly hired Dean of Academy was known as a community organizer and youth minister in the area for decades nicknamed ‘Rev,’ a familiar face, often worked with police and helped gang members turn their lives around.
The 17-year-old student—an at-risk teen—primarily raised by his grandmother because his mother was incarcerated didn’t trust ‘Rev’ at first but soon shared his personal struggles. Rather than help the boy, ‘Rev’ recruited him to sell marijuana.
For additional funding and to comply with the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Community Act (SDFSCA), schools in the US have adopted drug and violence prevention programs for students, teachers, staff, and parent education. Programs vary from school to school.
Children go to school blindly trusting they will receive an education and learn how to socialize. When a trusted school employee does something criminal, it’s heartbreaking to the adults who understand and confusing to the students who don’t.