Efforts to understand Jena. My school is segregated but how can I change that?

We humans cling to similarity. At the same time, I don't really know how to relate TO make new friends of a diff race. I live in Los Angeles and in my school it is kind of segregated but we would never! Any ideas?





FACTS- 6 black kids beat one white kid. If the town does not have a problem then why did these incidents occur?





One of the black kids jumped at a party by white kids.





someone assaulted the black kids with a sawed off shotgun.


The black kids disarmed their attacker and called the police. they were charged with burglary for taking his gun.





nooses hung from a tree. That's a problem.


Sheriff was brought into the high school to address the incident but instead let the black kids know," I could change your lives with a stroke of my pen." Translation- know your place boy. At Bell’s trial, the jury was composed of his previous attackers and their family members.


The judge allowed the prosecutor to argue his shoe was a deadly weapon.





F.Y.I.

Efforts to understand Jena. My school is segregated but how can I change that?
The whole Jena thing is ridiculous. I hope this exposes the racist ______s who think they run that town!





As for integrating your school, I think that is a noble idea. Why not USE the Jena 6 controversy to bring in some speakers from the community? Make sure to focus on racial harmony. Maybe the theme could be "Letting the past go" or "Living together in the new century" or something. I think we need to educate all young people about what's happened in the past so those same mistakes are not made again, but we also can't all harbor the resentment of the past. Ask people to look beyond the color of someone's skin and get to know a person as an individual member of the human race.





Maybe the theme could be "Take a chance." :)





Talk to your school counselors or your principal to get things organized. :) See if parents or teachers groups will help support the event(s).





Good luck! :)



under my skin