This story is causing a lot of heart break, outrage, and frustration in the community. There are too many of our young people that want to do the right things like go to school, get an education and make something of their lives, but they are constantly being bullied and intimidated by gangs and devious minded people without any protection.
Here is the story of young, 17 year old, Darnell D. Hamilton of Chicago, IL. There are big plans in his future like going to college and studying computer engineering, but he his having problems getting to and from school every day.
The problems? Gangs have been threatening him since he was a freshmen trying to attend school. As you know, Chicago’s black communities are ravaged with violence and street gangs.
Hamilton has to travel on two CTA lines, trains, to get from his home in Logan Square to Urban Prep Charter Academy on Chicago’s Westside. Urban Prep is a heralded charter school for the past few years because they have been able to send 100% of their graduating seniors to college, which is a phenomenal feat, but protecting their students on the way to school is another story all together.
When Hamilton gets off the CTA trains, the gang members are there waiting for him to harass and threaten him. It is a really difficult thing to deal with each and everyday while trying to apply the dedication to education the young man has.
This past Tuesday, Hamilton couldn’t take it any more. He got a gun from a friend and brought it to school because he says he was threatened and believed the threat was real. Someone saw the gun and notified the school officials.
From the Chicago Tribune: Authorities went to the junior’s locker and found a 9 mm handgun with a 4-inch barrel and a magazine with eight live rounds tucked in his school bag, police said. Hamilton explained he needed the gun for protection because street gangs had threatened to kill him, according to a police report. Police said Hamilton has no known gang affiliation.
Hamilton was charged as an adult with unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a firearm in school, both felonies. His mother watched with tearful eyes Wednesday as a judge set bail at $75,000 for her son, still dressed in his school uniform: a white buttoned-down shirt and khaki pants.
“I mean, this is just sad,” Petty said outside the courtroom, accompanied by Hamilton’s girlfriend. “He’s probably a little embarrassed, and he knows my expectations of him and standards are high.”
She said her son has a 4.0 GPA at Urban Prep, a prestigious charter school that prides itself in getting all its seniors accepted into college. He has already been promised a scholarship by Ohio State University, she said, but recently he has been hoping to go to Duke University or Howard University to study computer engineering.
Clearly, Hamilton violated the schools policies and must be reprimanded for his actions. There had to be a better way to handle the situation, but we can sit in our comfy homes and pontificate the potential options, but he has the harsh reality of facing these individuals who don’t give a damn about tomorrow, let alone a study at a “nerdy” institution like Urban Prep.
Many feel the $75,000 bond is a bit excessive and hope the Judge takes into consideration the character and track record of Hamilton when dealing out his punishment. There is no need to ruin this young mans future for something that can be handled in a non-felony manner. However, we know the school to prison pipeline is real, so honestly there is no telling how this will be handled.
Others hope, the young man will be able to finish at Urban Prep, graduate and is able to continue on to the University of his choice leaving all this madness in the past.
Our heart goes out to Mr. Hamilton and his family. This is a terrible situation to face day in and day out. Hopefully, he learns form this mistake and is able to find a way to make it to school safely.
The real failure here sits at the feet of us in our communities for lacking the intestinal fortitude to stand up to these bullies and gang members in our communities. We have stood by as passive participants for decades and look where it has gotten us. It is clear the police, Mayor Rahm Emanuel isn’t going to step in and do something, so it is far past time for us to do for self.
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