DEMISE: An American Tragedy
By: John M Del Vecchio
“… Contrition, confession, restitution, absolution, and reconciliation …”
A story of the 1990s: to be released by Warriors Publishing Group September 2020.
Illustration by Artist Gerry Kissell.
The following scene is from the chapter titled East Lake High School, Room 127, Thursday, 17 November, 8:40 P.M. Previously at this town council meeting town and school officials have discussed “controlling teen behavior,” a request for a school-wide camera surveillance and recording system, and the suspension of all interscholastic athletic activities including The Elk’s participation in the state soccer tournament. Below is Guidance Counselor Ciara DeLauro’s response to the plans.
Again the discussion became pointed. Police Chief Flanagan and Officer Ledbetter both offered objections to the surveillance system. Principal Rosenwald and Vice Principal Dutchussy stated it was necessary if rape, assault, murder, and smoking were to be prevented. In the end the discussion was inconclusive. “Now — ” Dr. Schoemer’s eyes flicked about the room, came to rest on his gavel “ — we will hear public comment. I will ask you to restrict your comments to three minutes.”
“Enough time — ” Mr. Hawkins rose as he spoke out unrecognized “ — to ensure zero understanding.”
“Order.” Dr. Schoemer rapped his gavel. “Mr. Hawkins, if the comments are pertinent and progress the point, I will allow the speaker to continue.”
For nearly an hour, speaker after speaker rose, advanced to the floor microphone. Nearly half either expressed their concerns for their own children’s safety, denounced other town youth as irresponsible, pleaded for a stronger security system and pledged their support for a town special budget request, or denounced the expenditure as unnecessary, as a waste of taxpayer money. More than half had no comment with regard to the security issue, were there solely to plead with the board to allow the games to continue. Finally, Ciara DeLauro reached the mike.
She identified herself, then began, “Mr. Chairman, Chief Flanagan, members of the school board, East Lakers. Shame on you. Shame on you for thinking what you think of your sons and daughters. Shame on you for thinking what you think of your students. Shame on you for proposing — out of your fear — a policy, a procedure or a system of control. Yes, tragedies have happened here. Yes, there is the potential for additional tragedy. Yet only a few short weeks ago, one of our brightest students — the victim of the most abhorrent and ultimate crime — spoke to us, and gave us a format for examining problems and projecting policy ramifications — before they are decreed into existence.”
In the seats Julia nudged Jason. “She’s talking about Aaron,” Julia whispered. “She’s such a smart woman.”
“Shame on us,” Ciara DeLauro continued. Her voice was calm, yet she radiated a tremendous energy. “If we turn our school into a prison, should we be surprised if our students act like inmates? If we replace student accountability with surveillance, should we not expect more irresponsibility? We have only to look across beautiful Lake Wampahwaug. Has violence within the city school system abated since that system instituted prisonlike policies? Or has it increased? Or has it simply moved off campus to other areas? Has the quality of education risen, stayed the same, or fallen? Is better behavior produced by creating an educational environment which treats all students as untrustworthy individuals, or by creating one in which every student is presumed innocent and only individual students who have proven themselves untrustworthy are so treated?
“My Dear East Lakers — ” Schoemer was about to bang that her time was up, but Police Chief Flanagan gently grabbed his wrist. Ciara continued, “ — the problem with increased security is that it sows the seeds of an enclave mentality; of an us-versus-them perception; of sanctioned polarization — whether it be men from women, blacks from whites, cities from towns, the wealthy from the needy, workers from employers, citizens from their government or students from their community. The perceptions of polarization created by surveillance, valid or invalid, may create new, or accentuate existing, polarizations. When polarization increases, there is a corresponding increase in violence. When violence increases, there is a corresponding increase in polarization. This is a cyclical process which may be propelled by an overzealous rush to protect — by a paranoia without malice. Yet in the long run, increased security may make our children more, not less, vulnerable to violence.”
Julia popped up from her seat. “Here! Here!” she shouted. She clapped her hands three times, sat. In the chair next to her Jason slouched lower, covered his face with his hands. Under his hands he was smiling.
Ciara acknowledged with a slight nod, went on. “If total-school surveillance and armed patrols are not the answer,” she continued, “what is? How do we maintain a quality learning environment while ensuring the safety of our children? Isn’t that the primary question? I believe the course of action most likely to achieve our goals is one which builds on the strengths of our teachers and our students, not one which limits their interactions, denies their accountability, or removes from them the need to discipline themselves — here, at school, or anywhere.
“Shame on us all. Have we forgotten not only the quality of mercy, but also the power of mercy? The power of forgiveness?
“A student, a product of this school system, who was murdered has told us, ‘Behavior is consistent with self-image and world view.’ What self-image will these students internalize if they must endure continuous surveillance? What self-image will these players internalize if they are punished by not being allowed to compete? How will they view the adult world that surrounds them? What will be their ensuing behaviors?” Ciara paused. She noted that Charlene Rosenwald was doodling, that Dr. Schoemer was jotting an occasional note, that Chief Flanagan was concentrating on her every word.
In the audience, heads that had been nodding all evening snapped up, jolted at the word “players.” A murmur arose. Mrs. DeLauro could challenge the powers that be! She could lead the charge! Dr. Rosenwald eyed the audience with suspicion.
“All self-images,” Ciara went on, “are comprised of positives and negatives. Punishment tends to increase one’s identity with the negative. Because of this, punishment may actually increase the frequency of negative behavior. Can you visualize this? We may punish until self-image, and thus behavior, is dominated by negative characteristics. Is this where we are heading?” Again Ciara paused. Now she looked directly into Dr. Schoemer’s eyes, then into Dr. Rosenwald’s. “Every one of us exhibits a variety of excesses and extremes. Sometimes we are too strict with our children. Sometimes too lenient. Sometimes families and schools and teams demand so much that unseen stresses inside a student drive him or her to be sick, or drive him or her into aberrant or violent or illegal behavior. Other times we don’t ask enough, and our low expectations are met, and the child is set on a life path of underachievement and nonfulfillment.
“We don’t always know — ” Ciara shook her head “ — do we? We as adults, as teachers, as counselors, as administrators, don’t always do the right thing. Sometimes we are less than exact. All we can do is have a set of guiding principles — the right intentions — an attitude and process in place which allows us, when we see an individual foundering, approaching an extreme, to make an adjustment and try again.”
Ciara turned to the audience of mostly parents and students. “My belief in the process of contrition, confession, restitution, absolution, and reconciliation is well known in this school, in my church and in this town. The reason why it works is that contrition and confession break one from identifying with the negative characteristics within one’s self-image; one no longer needs to match the ‘evil’ behaviors dictated by a debased self-image. Restitution removes guilt and restores positive self-image. It produces absolution within the self, and when that is produced, the individual should be reconciled with his or her society. Nothing else has ever worked!”
Ciara returned to those seated at and behind the conference table. “For these reasons, Councilman Hume, Dr. Schoemer, Dr. Rosenwald, East Lakers, I would first like to see the proposal for this very expensive, ill-advised, and invasive surveillance system tabled forever. Secondly, I would like to see our Elks beat the britches off Avon tomorrow night.”