I have known a few criminal-type folks in my lifetime, but these two must be the scariest duo to strike fear into the hearts and minds of people since Bonnie and Clyde.
Actually, the girl is my youngest daughter, and the young man with the deer-in-the-headlights look on his face is her boyfriend. The picture was taken Friday night after the Senior Walk for Prom.
If you have been through the trauma of getting a daughter ready for Prom, and lived, congrats to you! It is an experience I won't forget. But like she said, she "cleaned up good!" And she had her big night, and had a blast!
I spent most of my teen years in Atlanta, and a couple of years in Central Florida, but it wasn't until I moved here that I heard of segregated proms. I cannot grasp the concept.
They have held segregated proms here until the last few years, or so they say. To keep down screams of racism, they now hold a "public" prom, and a "private" prom. The "public" prom is referred to as the "black" prom, and the "private" prom is for whites. It just isn't said out loud. To which I say: BULLSUGAR.
Youngest and her beau went to the public prom because they have friends who are black, and friends whose parents don't have big $$$. The "private" prom is also where the upper-crust kids go.
We went to watch them do the Senior Walk, and we had as much fun as the kids. The seniors had fun with it, which made it fun for us parents, and the crowd was screaming and cheering the kids as they walked. I wish ya'll could have seen it! Heck, T-Bird and I cheered and hollered and stomped our feet for every single one of them!
Watching the faces of the school officials and law enforcement, who were there in force, gave me the idea that they were not happy with the kids or the audience. In fact, they looked pissed. It was not the stately, quiet affair that the school system here prefers. Dignity be damned.
What we saw was a bunch of kids who worked for 12-13 years to get to what should be the greatest year of their young lives. Senior Year. The BIG YEAR. They deserve a big blow-out party. Let 'em strut their stuff and have fun! The real world will kick their teeth down their throats too soon as it is.
And, I'm sad to say, that both of the kids in the picture were searched twice this morning. Along with every other student who showed up for class. They questioned them, searched their bookbags, searched purses, and stayed at the school the entire day. While the drug dogs searched the grounds. They disrupted classes and upset teachers who had no idea of what was going on. They confiscated cell phones, snacks, and drinks that the kids had brought to school.
I had to tell the kids that, thanks to the past actions of a few, they all had to be treated as potential problems. We've had this talk before because this happens at least once a month here. Innocent until proven guilty? Not anymore.
My oldest daughter was sitting in class about nine years ago when they sent drug dogs through her class. Wouldn't you know it, Officer Fido "alerted" on her bookbag. Which was immediately searched. Her "fix" was in it; white cheddar popcorn. She said the looks on the faces of the officers was worth having her stuff poured out on the floor!
I know there are out-of-control people out there. Children and adults alike. But it hurts that we have come to the point where we cannot trust even the children anymore.
Welcome to the world, Class of 2007.
