Students ask for change during MSCS community meeting
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – A forum hosted to seek solutions still has some of the community’s youngest members wanting to see change.
Memphis Shelby County Schools hosted a community engagement forum on safety, gun violence, and the impacts of violence on youth Wednesday night.
It was not a packed house for the meeting. Students said they hoped to see more people for such an important topic that impacts the entire community.
Those who showed up said they want to see a plan, and they want to see change.
“[They are] being killed just quickly. Just day after day after day, and like the previous girl said. She said it shouldn’t be normal to scroll past someone dead,” said Angel Daniel, a 10th grader at Memphis Business Academy.
Young people in Memphis say seeing shootings or even hearing about students being shot is a constant for them.
It is something they say they are tired of.
“It makes me a little sad because I know that could be me out there,” said Daniel. “Or that could be someone I know out there, or my family, or my family out there, and I would hate for that to be anyone or be anyone my age getting shot because you have a long way, a long life to live.”
Recently, two Booker T. Washington High School students were shot just feet from the school. The tragedy impacted many students across Memphis Shelby County Schools.
“That hurt, because one of those young men was about to be a father, and he was trying to put change into his life, and they killed him in front of the school, and it wasn’t okay,” said Nakyla Curry, a recent MSCS graduate.
MSCS held a community forum Wednesday night to address gun violence and other issues, along with Memphis Police, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and the Memphis Fire Department.
They also talked about drugs and mental health issues.
Students said they want to see more.
“I feel like now that we have gotten to enough meetings, we need to put some action forward,” said Curry.
While they wait for plans, they are keeping hope and faith for change.
“It’s really disappointing, it’s really depressing. But I try not to let it get to me, though,” said Daniel. “I try to have faith in life.”
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