Durham students push state leaders for safer schools
DECREASE VIOLENCE IN OUR
SCHOOLS.
>> AND WE BEGIN NOW WITH
TACKLING SCHOOL SAFETY AND GUN
VIOLENCE. NEW TONIGHT, A GROUP
OF DETERMINED HILLSIDE HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS BROUGHT THEIR
SOLUTIONS DIRECTLY TO TOP STATE
LEADERS. THANKS FOR JOINING
US. I'M LENA TILLETT. I'M
GERALD OWENS. THEIR IDEAS RANGE
FROM DIRECT MENTAL HEALTH
SUPPORT TO MORE MEANINGFUL
ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS.
>> THE BUREAU'S JULIAN GRACE
TALKED TO THE GROUP BEFORE AND
AFTER TODAY'S MEETING AND JOINS
US LIVE TO WHAT DID THEY HAVE
TO SAY TO THAT?
>> WELL, JOE, LET ME FIRST SHOW
YOU THIS. A STATE
SUPERINTENDENT, KATHY TROOPS
WHO WAS INSIDE THAT MEETING AND
WE WANTED TO ASK ARE A NUMBER
OF QUESTIONS. BUT OUR ACCESS
WAS DENIED. HOWEVER, THERE WERE
STUDENTS AT DID GET INSIDE AND
SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS TELL US
THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR VOICES
WERE HEARD.
THESE HILLSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS WALKED INTO THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH
JUST AFTER 3 O'CLOCK FOR THEIR
MEETING WITH STATE
SUPERINTENDENT KATHY, TRUE IT
AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER, THEY
REEMERGE WITH SOME CLEAR
OBJECTIVES, MAKING SURE
TEACHERS HAVE THE TRAINING AND
THE RESOURCES.
>> TO BETTER EQUIP OUR
STUDENTS, MENTAL HELP WITH
MENTAL HEALTH EMOTIONALLY BEING
ABLE TO GO TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE FOR THIS
TO SOME SAY IF THERE WAS EVER A
TIME FOR A MEETING LIKE THIS,
IT IS SURELY NOW.
>> JUST THIS YEAR IN NORTH
CAROLINA, WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL
SCHOOLS GOING TO LOCKDOWNS KIDS
FROM GUNS TO SCHOOLS AND IN
FEBRUARY, 2 STUDENTS FROM
HILLSIDE WERE SHOT WE'VE ALSO
SEEN THIS UP LATE STARTING
THESE HILLSIDES STUDENTS.
IT'S CALLED STATE OF EMERGENCY,
WHICH ADDRESSES VIOLENCE IN
SCHOOLS, THE PLAYGROUND IN
FEBRUARY. AND ONE OF THE
SPECTATORS, INCLUDING STATE
SUPERINTENDENT KATHY, TRUE.
IT WHO WAS SO MOVED BY THE
PERFORMANCE THAT SHE INVITED
THE STUDENTS TO TALK TODAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS SHE DID GIVE
US WILL SOME POINTS THAT WERE
CLEAR POINTS THAT WERE
>> TALKING ABOUT HOW THAT HOW
THEY WOULD INTERVENE, HOW THAT
USE FUNDS TO INTERVENE AT THE
SCHOOL LEVEL, HOW THEY WOULD
STEP IN AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
TO HELP PEOPLE WITH TRAINING.
TRUE. IT DID NOT COME OUT WITH
THE STUDENTS.
>> BUT WE ASKED IF THERE WAS
ANY IDEA. THE STATE
SUPERINTENDENT APPEARED WILLING
TO ADOPT. WE HEARD EACH OF
THESE RESPECTIVE VOTE.
>> THE OFFICIALS AND OURS AND
OTHER PEERS PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK IT WAS A VERY
PRODUCTIVE.
>> COME TO PATIENTS. AND THE
STUDENTS ALSO HAD A MESSAGE
FOR THEIR PEERS.
>> STUDENTS SHOULD JOIN MORE
CLUBS. THEY SHOULD TIME WE
SHOULD HAVE MORE ACTIVITIES
THAT WE CAN DO
>> CAUSING TROUBLE.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THOSE STUDENTS
WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. NOW
AFTER THE DISCUSSION TODAY,
MANY OF THOSE STUDENTS SAY THEY
WANT TO SEE THAT CONVERSATION
IS LIKE THAT.
>> CONTINUE. AND GERALD,
THEY'RE HOPING STATE OF URGENCY
WILL BE A GOOD JUMPING-OFF PICK
TO START THOSE CONVERSATIONS.