High School Arrests Underscore Issue of Persistent Violence

Just two days into the school year, the assault on a safety monitor at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School gave rise to a lengthy, chaotic hallway brawl that injured staff trying to intervene, and resulted in the arrest of two students, aged 15 and 14, on numerous charges.

The police response to the September 3 incident included ten Cambridge police officers, seven sheriff’s deputies, and five state troopers – nearly every officer on duty in the area, according to Sheriff Jimmy Phillips.

This case is part and parcel to a broader issue of frequent violence in county schools. During the last school year, Superintendent Dr. Jymil Thompson reported that of the 2,100 students who were suspended, 1,500 were tied to violent incidents,  the bulk of which came from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School and Mace’s Lane Middle School.

But a new initiative to address the persistent trend of student violence that, at the secondary- and even middle-school level, was proposed for this semester is not being implemented due to a funding shortfall.

Piloted successfully this summer at North Dorchester High School, the program, known as the Violence Prevention Initiative, received positive feedback from students.  The initiative teaches skills in communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution to curb fights and disruptions.

The program targets students, parents, teachers, and staff for a full community impact. It was set to begin this September at the two schools with the highest suspension rates, but a lack of available funds has delayed the rollout.

Earlier this year, the school district faced a $10.19 million deficit, which forced cuts to after-school and summer programs. Implementing the program at the county’s two high schools would cost about $40,000 each, and each of the schools said they had only $5,000 available, leading to a shortfall of $70,000 to implement the initiative in both high schools, Thompson told The Spy.

Through feedback during the sessions, officials learned that major precursors of violence in Dorchester schools include a lack of self-control among students, misunderstanding, lack of awareness and empathy, and the power of fear.  Such fear may lead students to aggression under the belief that fighting back is the only way to protect themselves from humiliation or being seen as weak or cowardly.

Seeking outside support, program developers Rebecca Redmer and Phil Whitelock presented the initiative to Cambridge City Commissioners, as well as pursuing grants, philanthropic gifts, and tax-deductible donations via Redmer’s nonprofit, Someone to Walk With. Whitelock, a published author who runs courses on violence prevention, said a limited launch is still possible this year regardless of full funding from the schools.

Thompson called the initiative a “vital step to address the violence in our schools,” and that not implementing the program is a real lost opportunity to improve the educational climate in the school system.