A reader writes in:"Was in the middle of another shooting this morning. Corner of Wilson and Sheridan. Large group of black males appeared to be walking to Uplift - across Sheridan from the McDonald's pulled out guns and began shooting. Don't know if anyone was hit. Occurred at 8:15AM - right in front of crossing guards. Group ran south down Sheridan after shooting."
That would've been right before I woke up but I awoke to my dog whining and needing to go out and not gun shots.
ReplyDeleteWaiting to hear other reports of this because I CERTAINLY would've heard these.
Did you (or anybody) bother calling the police, or did you just blog about it?
ReplyDeleteThis was also posted on our Facebook wall and 2 people there confirmed. Another person (not who sent the info in) was in the crosswalk when it happened.
ReplyDeleteI also witnessed it, and called 911. Police were there immediately. I only heard one shot, though, and saw teens scrambling in every direction and children walking to school ducking for cover.
ReplyDeleteI called police immediately and just kept heading onto work. Just like any other day. Because, it is just like any other day now.
ReplyDeleteDo they have metal detectors at the school? Idiot teens. I hope the cops got someone.
ReplyDeleteWas riding my bike to the wilson el stop about this time and noticed alot of kids running down wilson near the McDonald's. Must of rode by just after the shooting. I figured they weren't rushing because they were late for class.
ReplyDeleteBlue Light cameras on that corner?
ReplyDeleteI was driving east on Wilson this morning, just west of Sheridan, when all of a sudden at least 10 squad cars converged on the area, and the officers started hopping out of the cars. I don't think I've ever seen that many squads in one place at one time.
ReplyDeleteUplift--I always think that's a really stupid name for a school.
Now thats really bad-anytime a shooting is bad but that early in morning and everyone out going to school or work.That young getting a hold of guns.
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ReplyDeleteNikki - the fact that you ask us not to pass judgement on those who join gangs tells me all I need to know about Uplift...
ReplyDeleteI like warm weather, but it seems to encourage violence in the area.
ReplyDeleteNikki, I would love to come and visit Uplift. I agree that a lot of your students aren't in gangs. But the gang activity that the few who are in gangs at the school attracts does not help the students or the neighbors. Perhaps with a new alderman, we can all work together to solve this problem. I'm glad you have metal detectors. While they don't solve the violence, I'd hope they'd solve the problem of guns in schools? If not, that's a problem with the detectors themselves or placement, etc.
ReplyDeleteDid you (or anybody) bother calling the police, or did you just blog about it?
ReplyDeleteIf you bothered to read this blog with any regularity, you'd know that this is one of the most 911-calling areas in the city. In fact, after a shooting, there are often complaints posted here that 911 took forever to pick up ... because so many people called at the same time. After last year (this blog reported 31 people shot, 32 reports of shots fired without a victim, and five murders), we all know to reach for the phone when we hear anything suspicious.
Any more questions?
Those who are in gangs have joined for a lot of complicated reasons, and no one should pass judg[e]ment until you understand all of them.
ReplyDeleteOh, please. I don't want to buy them a puppy and a malt, I'd just like to be able to leave my home without worrying about being shot or ending up in the middle of a street fight.
Perhaps when they begin showing interest in why I don't like their illegal, destructive behavior in my neighborhood -- where I've lived longer than they or their parents have been alive -- then we can join hands at the "don't judge me" table and sing a few rounds of "Michael Row The Boat Ashore" together.
Until then, you bet your sweet bippie that I'm going to judge them -- and harshly -- for their gang-banging.
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ReplyDeleteNikki, I have spoken with students at Uplift about how they have to affiliate w/ a gang because they live in a certain neighborhood. This shouldn't be the case and in order for the gangs not to have that control, we need to judge the gang members harshly, give them consequences for their behavior, and let them know their behavior is unacceptable. Then, neighborhood kids will not have to be affiliated w/ gangs.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're a neighbor, glad you're a teacher, and I hope you continue working to make Chicago a safer place for you and your students.
Nikki,
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree that institutionalized racism is a huge problem, and the issue of gangs is very complicated, and not easily solved. But education is a huge part of the resolution, and Uplift seems to be ignoring this huge problem, along with the current alderman. She has refused to meet with residents to talk about solutions to the gang activity, saying that "crime is not my issue". Uplift is where these kids go to school, and the school has been her issue and making Uptown an area of concentrated low-income residents was her dream come true. But you can't build this much low-income housing only to let the conditions of it deteriorate and treat humans like animals, with horrible public education options, and little other options other than joining a gang and dealing drugs. It's a viable source of income for sure. But in this neighborhood, Uplift has a bigger responsibility than just standardized test teaching. There needs to be some serious anti-gang education going on there, and connections for alternatives. I know you can't just kick kids out of school because they are in a gang, but that choice has to have some sort of negative repercussions to make it less desirable. Kids with guns is not okay, in any way, and if the school knows this is going on, then it has a much bigger commitment to the neighbor that just have metal detectors. The kids aren't safe before and after school, they aren't safe on the weekends, the neighborhood is not safe because of their activity. Uplift has got to take a larger role, with the parents, with these kids, and offer a real education for it's students. Urban Prep is doing it, there is no reason for Uplift to be such a low academically performing school and allow this behavior to occur on, near or even off school grounds. Get the alderman involved, make crime and education a real issue, along with the residents, parents, and engage the kids in real ways. Everyone has some responsibility in this ward to change things, but the school, where these kids go, needs to step up.
Does anyone know if anyone was hurt? I assume not because there has been no news of this incident on the web outside of this blog.
ReplyDeleteStef- (everyone else, this is a point aside, not shooting related) Thanks for the thoughtful, reasoned post. One point of information about Urban Prep (recently hailed for its 100% graduation/college acceptance rate) Urban Prep is a charter which means they can -and do- boot kids out of the school to protect that 100% number. I just spoke to a teacher the other day who has two of that school's castaways in his class. They are surely doing something right but that program is not quite what it seems. Again, liked your post.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we listen to Tom Skillings weather reports to predict the next shooting?
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, wouldn't it be nice for the kids at Uplift if they could feel safe and secure in a neighborhood that supports their school -and- they don't have to worry about crossing ganged up streets to get there. Then they could focus on their studies. Get the gangs out of Uptown!
I notice that Nikki removed her posts.
ReplyDeleteI guess Gangs in her school are not her issue.
That sounds way too familiar.
I guess Nikki removed her/his comments....
ReplyDeleteUplift:
ReplyDeleteAll State Tests: Composite Performance for All Grades
School District State
2009-2010 32.6% 64.0% 76.4%