"This is a young man who deserved to live," the principal said

Does this mean that the pricipal feels that some of his students don't deserve to live? That is just a strange statement during this tragic event.

This is sad and mindless this nation is in need of prayer.

gtouch

I thought that too, who does this principal think he is?

Maybe some of his students are gang bangers and criminals.....

He probably meant that the tragedy is even worse because of what a great kid he is. When people are upset things can come out the wrong way.

Let's face it, if some kid was a drug dealer or a thug, there would be less people upset about his death. It's natural to be more upset when someone who is considered "good" dies.

chess

well said. i just wonder how long it will take before we all come to realize that God is what is lacking. The more our citizens have pulled away, the worse things have gotten.

i am with you - prayer all the way.

thanks

gtouch

It did sound strange, but I think the story clarifies it a little. He sounded like a good, smart and hard working kid. This is evidently not the norm up there.

Finally, a kind post about the sad passing of a life taken too young......thank you for bringing a sense of compassion to these posts! A young life was needlessly taken, no matter your views on gun control or the "liberal media", those have nothing to do with the fact that this young man was shot walking to school. My thoughts and prayers go with his family and friends. I too hope they find the low life who killed this young man.

He's a principal in a @!$%#ty neighborhood, there are going to be good kids like the victim and people not worth putting time or money into. It sounds insensitive, but in an environment such as his it's not too out of touch. People probably die pretty often there, if you could choose which people to save and which to die who would you pick? The kid with a bright future or the one with none.

2000 years of Christian history proves that believing in God doesn't make anyone less violent.

X9, I remember when going to to school, you hoped to get through the big tests or exams, now you hope get to make it through the day alive.

My condolences to this young man's family. He seemed like a smart young man that wanted to do better and get ahead in the world. Now some ''big' man with a gun' has taken him away.

please. prayers aren't going to do anything.

how many millenniums have God's followers been praying and yet people still murder.

maybe it's time to realize that praying does NOT work?

markl-I don't think you really know what you are saying. Prayer does change things but God doesn't always do what we want Him to.

Agreed.

"God doesn't always do what we want Him to."

Then what good is he? He should be fired.

chess

well said. i just wonder how long it will take before we all come to realize that God is what is lacking. The more our citizens have pulled away, the worse things have gotten.

i am with you - prayer all the way.

Please stop with the Religious BS.. Religion is responsible for more deaths then anything else in this world. It has started wars, witch hunts. Religion is the root of all evil if you ask me. I live a peaceful life with a great family, we do not go to church (all churches are good for is pushing their agenda on you and requiring you to tithe 10% of your hard earned money so the preacher can have 2 cars and live in a lavish house). We are non violent and believe in treating others with respect and would never resort to a gun to kill unless it was to protect our family or friends.

There are quite a few ignorant posts on these boards and yours is just one example.

mb-757763

He probably meant that the tragedy is even worse because of what a great kid he is. When people are upset things can come out the wrong way.

Let's face it, if some kid was a drug dealer or a thug, there would be less people upset about his death. It's natural to be more upset when someone who is considered "good" dies.

How is that some folks take things so literal and yet others like u mb-757 can understand the meaning behind what someone says.

thepunisher-2054749

"God doesn't always do what we want Him to."

Then what good is he? He should be fired.

Your thinking is completely backwards. Obviously u aren't spiritual enough to understand. God uses u not the other way around.

Agreed. They took one that could actually help....do some good. Pretty soon, I think people are going to stop trying in these areas.

The unfrotunate thing about having dreams, aspirations - is people think they can push you around. After all, if he is the "Alpha Dog" in his pack, he's not going to be satisfied unless everyone knows it.

“Always want to fight, every time he see them, they saying something to him,” she said.

The school's principal told News4's Tracee Wilkins that Ross was involved in the modeling club and was a beloved student. "This is a young man who deserved to live," the principal said.

He was also making honor roll and was involved in track and ROTC.

Based on what his mother said and the list of extra curricular activities he was involved in - including being an Honor student. He was a something the bullies couldn't stand. He was proof that - the world wasn't against you; Gang bangers and low life scum spread that lie so they can keep getting new recruits.

Sounds like one of them might have tangled with him some time in the past, got his butt whooped - and wanted a rematch. (likely with 3 or 4 friends to "help").

I was an army brat, we moved to 5 states and 3 countries, as my father was re-deployed , promoted or another skirmish broke out somewhere in the world. Most of the time we lived on military bases - but some places we had to live on the economy, with non-military folks. It became a regular thing that some bully would pick on "the new kids". Most of the time - that was a mistake. But back then, an ass- kicking didn't usually escalate to a shooting.

I feel for the mother, she will probably never forgive herself for returning to that hell hole, cess pool - just to see her son die a violent death over something as trivial as some loser, trying to get even.

Most likely, she was hoping, as she stated - that he was old enough and capable enough to avoid having to prove himself with the idiot slacker crowd again.

They say you don't need to put a lid on a barrel of crabs or lobsters - none will escape. Cause as soon as one finds a clear path - the rest will grab on for a free ride - their weight pulls him right back in the barrel...

Another one bites the dust. Trayvon Martin all over again...great kid, promising future...bullcrap. When being black is more imnportant than being a succesful person, then this is what happens. I see it all the time with the gangbangers who just hate nice folks..black or white. This is what America is good atnow......hate, violence, and pretending things are better than they are.

Only a person who doesn't live in such an area or never visits would make such assumptions.

It's just a whole community of parent-less, disrespectful, uneducated and unemployed low-lives huh? Name one ghetto you've actually been in (not driven through). We'll wait on that answer..

I think that it is unfortunate that it is assumed that when a black male walking to school is shot and killed, he must have been in a gang. The story stated that he was a good student, participated in ROTC, and was a fashion model in his spare time. Another important fact was that he was bullied last school year and his mother took those complaints to the principle and school board. Is there a possibility of retaliation from those bullies?

I wonder if this child were of a different race, would there be a candle light vigil and the media raising money to end bullying? Or was the fight against bullying last season's cause?

I live near Camden, NJ Dave. His assumptions are pretty much true. No need to wait anymore, smartass.

Mike, all of your responses suggest that you would have made the same assumption anyway. I am hoping you are just another sad troll, but you probably really are a bored bigot.

Mike we are still waiting, I live in KCMO, the streets are filled with people getting up and going to school and work when I commute in the AM. We have in this country a generation of african american youth who have given up and given in to peer pressure and a street lifestyle even so this does not constitute an entire community.

Thank you tmp21 for making that statement. It crazy to me that people will vilify a innocent boy who was simply walking to school. But because he is black, he must have been up to no good... right? This is same mentality that got Trayvon shot and killed, along with other innocent young black males. And being that I have a 3 year old black son, I have a serious problem with it. And let me add that just three weeks ago a young white boy posted on his FB page "First day of school, last day of my life" before going to school and shooting a student with Down Syndrome. And there was not one comment made about him being a thug or a gang member. At his home where he lived with ONE parent there is a sign that states "We don't call the police" with a picture of a gun. And yet there were no comments blaming his parent or upbringing. Funny how that works!

Detroit here, and his assumptions are TRUE.

Families and entire communities have broken down.
Nobody goes to work for a paycheck, they go to the mailbox.

While these observations may be true, what is the solution? Are these kids worth saving or do we keep abandoning them and neglecting the schools they're supposed to learn to be better at?

His observations are absolutely true. Tony and Dave have no clue and never will. They just don't want to hear the truth about low income minority communities because it does not sound nice.

Tu Pac, Bill Cosby, Herman Cain and many more black stars have been saying the same thing for a long time. But, they are often attacked for making such direct claims. Tu Pac was not publicly attacked for speaking about the responsibilities blacks have in their communities, but he was killed prematurely, so who knows what would have come from him in later years. But, hell, that's just more evidence of the very issue king was referencing.

tmp21, usually in the academic setting a "modeling club" refers to something scientific or mathematically based. I'd be very surprised if the school sponsored a fashion modelling club!

I'm from the area and a lot of the schools have modeling clubs. The modeling club was just that, a fashion based club, they make and model their own creations, put on fashion shows, nothing to do with science or math, just another extracurricular activity.

Modeling could refer to mathematical modeling, fashion modeling, or airplane modeling. I rather doubt an inner city school would have a mathematical modeling club, but you never know. If it was fashion modeling there might have been the presumption (right or wrong) that the young man was gay.

KOTJJ, You are so on the money. How come anytime one talks like that in America you're racist? I don;t see JJackson, O. Winfrey,etc. addressing the black community with start-talking, stop being so ghetto dialogue. Again, since the 80s, it's so important to act "black" instead of trying to be a great person. Not one of the political leaders in the black community, "tell it like it is" to their own, because then they would be "Racist Oreos" as the saying goes. Now we got white kids (wiggers) trying to be thug hip hop gangstas. WHY? It;s all so low class and dehumanizing.

in the middle-2260511

His observations are absolutely true. Tony and Dave have no clue and never will. They just don't want to hear the truth about low income minority communities because it does not sound nice.

Tu Pac, Bill Cosby, Herman Cain and many more black stars have been saying the same thing for a long time. But, they are often attacked for making such direct claims. Tu Pac was not publicly attacked for speaking about the responsibilities blacks have in their communities, but he was killed prematurely, so who knows what would have come from him in later years. But, hell, that's just more evidence of the very issue king was referencing.

Are u on dope ? U see life as a cynic and all the drudgery that comes out of it and make an myopic opinion.

BTW, tupac death's had nothing to do with speaking out about blk's responsibilities. I enjoy tupac's music and even though he was never in a gang he glamorized the life of a gangster. His death was result of a feud between him and notorious big

Yes, Rick, if only he had walked into school armed. Then, he'd be a low-life thug from the ghetto on welfare all the time, right?

Rick, even if he had been armed, do you honestly think he would have had time to draw his weapon and fire back? What good would him being armed have done? Besides that, kids walking to school should not have to arm themselves. I can only hope that is your attempt at being sarcastic and that you're not being serious.

Rick, your sarcasm does no good whatsoever.

He was too young. Had he been 21, he might have been, legally that is.

People like you, Rick, cannot legislate safety. You can only strip law-abiding citizens of their right to bear arms.

Rick-546746

...if only he had bben armed

............If only you had your spell checker on.................

Rick - you want 18 year old boys to start carrying guns? you REALLY think that's a good idea? Young boys are raging with testosterone. No one would survive.

mindyabusiness---I believe that there was someone close in age with a gun at the time of this mans death...the comment you posted is a "duh!!!!!!" moment in your life. everyone knows that...but thats how the ghetto is.

LiveLaughLove - I understand how the "ghetto" as you call it operates. I grew up there. Gun ownership escalates until everyone has one but it's not just specific to the "ghetto" or any other economic group. Hence why the answer can't be "welp he should have had a gun to protect himself." It's too easy to slip into everyone having a gun and this sort of thing happens more frequently.

What if it was a legal gun? I also think of prescribed drugs as bad,,,MMMMKAY? Just because a doctor has approved your abuse of a substance does not make it better than one that is not "approved" by our government.

The sad story is that this will not be the only killing in America today people...We are entertained by violence like Rome. We have a giant army that is always on the move...Like Rome...And in case you are wondering...Yes...We are Rome people. The country is on its decline and Plato was correct, there will be no Utopia. No politician can fix humanity...You must be the change you wish to see...But either way...We are all dead in due time anyways...

Have a great day people...And remember to smoke weed...It helps make a crazy world seem a little bit better... ;)

Hairfarmer

What if it was a legal gun?

All guns were legal at one point.

"And remember to smoke weed...It helps make a crazy world seem a little bit better... ;)"

It also have been linked to testicular cancer, be careful :>)

Everyone who has eaten a carrot will die...Those who do not eat carrots will also die...

I do not believe that weak "study" that is being put out as "news"...

Remember...There is no such thing as propaganda...Tell everyone.

finally...a voice of reason

agreed. What's the solution though? More education? Our country can't afford that. Increase enforcement of truancy? We don't have enough cops to do that. More gun laws? People will just disregard them. I mean... is there a solution to violence like this?

mindyabusiness: "More education? Our country can't afford that. Increase enforcement of truancy? We don't have enough cops to do that. More gun laws? More people will just disregard them. I mean.. is there a solution to violence like this? Yes. Stop taxayer money for useless tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires who park their bottomless wealth in tax shelters in overseas accounts and HQ's overseas, STOP rewarding coporations who keep outsourcing American worker's jobs and funding wars, wars, wars and taxpayer subsidies to the mega-billionaire fossi fuel industry who need our taxpayer subsidies like a centpede needs another leg for starters. Stop this 40 year useless "war on drugs" that has only enriched the wealth of the drug cartels and the illegal weapons trade over the border btwn Mexico and the USA that has cost the US taxpayers billions in wasted dollars and lives and filled our prisons at a rate of incarceration of 700% since the 80's-32,000 a YEAR per prisoner to house somebody for petty "drug offenses" instead of rehab or a fine that stays on their record, ruins their chances of ever getting gainful employment and do begins the vicious cycle of being in and out of prison for what is basically most of their lives compared to what most people are earning at a minimum wage JOB or what an elderly person on what the gop/teahads now love to call "those bankrupting entitlements like SS, MA and MC that HAVE to be reformed, PRIVATIZED and turned into coupon program in order to be "saved"have to live on. In fact, those programs have a recipient/beneficiary iving on less then one HLAF to a THIRD of what it costs to incarcerate people in Americas prisons and we incarcerate MORE of our people then any other nation and with the exception of lawless Somalia or the Sudan I believe, we also have the highest number of people who die from GUN violence then any other as well but I know, don't do anything about it is the answer.
Just ignore it or the neocon way of course is MORE GUNS "make us safer just as bombing every country who just MIGHT bomb us first will make us safer so go to freaking WAR with everybody while THIS country can't spend a bloody dime educating our children, rebuilding OUR DECAYING infrastructure, taking care of our citizens when disaster strikes or seeing they ALL have decent healthcare because it's SOCIALISM and HAND-OUTS". No wonder America is such a cesspool of violence, unemployment, desperation and hatred as we fight for the scraps leftover from the billionaire's table and that's exactly the way they WANT IT. When will all you understand this and fight for YOUR dignity and what was ONCE the American Dream. It STARTS with us and we'll never get it back until this era of greed and "divide and conquer" among the REST OF US is over while the oligarchs continue to laugh all the way to the bank as they buy the politicians, judges and lobbyists to write the laws and manipulate the tax code even MORE in their favour for a "corporate ruling state" as well as one that keeps us in "perpetual war for profit"? It is sick, warped and evil. More and more people are relying on social programs to get by simply because they can't make enough to LIVE on anymore with the jobs available.
To get the education for an average "entry level job" that never required a degree before starting at a pathetic 9/hr, selfish employers want at least an associate degree for DATA ENTRY and your whole life history with these ridiculous on-line applications and cover letters where you need a user ID and p/w for EVERY company you send one to since NOBODY will even let you apply in PERSON anymore so you don't even have THAT going for you over others applying for the same job. COME ON!!! It's absolute crappola.

The first place to start is to use all of the wasted resource for overseas wars and occupation and bring those resources home to fight the wars within.

Incarcerate ALL druggies and lower the crime rate to a manageable level.

We have been doing that for decades, Remember Nancy Regan's war on drugs, Just Say No. It is now 2012 and we see how effective that has been. How many prisons do you think we need to build and who do think will pay for them? Lets keep doing what doesn't work is your point....

The drug war is a business, always has been and always will be. People are doing hard time for having a couple ounces of whatever their drug of choice is in their possession.

On average it costs $33,615 / year to keep someone imprisoned. It would cost maybe $20,000 to put that same person through college...or $25,000 to have a parole officer follow a criminal around all day to make sure hes being good. So do you really think its worth it to lock up people for smoking weed? How about we just force them all to go to school and save the taxpayers money...or better yet. Leave the recreational drug users alone and spend the money that you would use to incarcerate them to send kids from the inner cities to school...

Rose Colored Glasses

It would cost maybe $20,000 to put that same person through college...or $25,000 to have a parole officer follow a criminal around all day to make sure hes being good.

You certainly DO see the world through "Rose Colored Classes". Would you be good enough to let everyone know what college they can go to for $20,000? And then tell everyone where you will find a Parole Officer for $25,000?

And why must they be FORCED to go to school? Is it not in their best interest to do so on their own? Are we not spending enough already on "educating" (and I use that term VERY loosely) our youth? The kids and PARENTS of the "inner city" need to take some PERSONAL responsibility for a change. We can't hold their hands throughout their lives because THEY have no desire to improve their own situation.

ALL druggies? Where would the doctors shill the drug companies wares? Do you think that caffeine is a drug? Aspirin? Rosemary? Turmeric?

Lock yourself up first old feller...You might be a druggie...

Oh yeah...I smoke weed all the time...And I graduated with an overall GPA of 3.87...I guess I am a no good scumbag of a reefer-head hippie! I am buying a home, I work full time, pay taxes and vote. I also protest war, and generally have a good time in life..I have even done other drugs on my way to getting this old...I am surely unfit to be on the streets...Please come round me up and inter me for the good of society.

Life is a fatal, sexually transmitted disease...Some of us just don't see it yet...You will...We all will...Enjoy life like you stole it...Because everyday you are alive...You did.

Tony,

Nancy Reagan didn't start the "War on (some) Drugs", that was Nixon.

Nancy Reagan had a campaign to say "NO" to drugs. You've got a problem with that? No kid who ever said "no" to drugs became an addict or died of a drug overdose. Same thing with abstinence. It works, every time it's tried. Amazing how that works.

I will agree that the "war" is a failure and needs to be stopped, but blaming Nancy Reagan for a common sense approach is just wrong.

XDM9mm

$20,000/ year for a post secondary school?, I think you could find one. and $25,000/ year is a salary that many Americans make. Do I really think that they can force ppl to go to school? No. Do I really think that they could have a person follow around every criminal so they dont commit another crime? No. If you took my comment that literal, I suspect that daily life must be very confusing for you. You're obviously missing my point just for the sake of an argument.

My point is. The war on drugs is pointless and largely money driven. Its a waste of taxpayers money to incarcerate people for drug possession on a small scale. I'm not taking about major drug pushers. I'm talking about someone being caught with a small amount for personal use who wasnt be a menace to society by staggering down the street on a meth high harassing people. Do you know how many upper middle class ppl from the suburbs use drug as a recreation? You dont see DEA swat teams raiding their houses. They focus mainly on the urban areas. So basically they do a sweep net a bunch of guys smoking weed and other lesser drugs, throw them in jail and stick the taxpayers with the bill. Having the taxpayers pay for a war that isnt working is pointless and obviously someone is benefiting from it in other ways for it to be going on for so long.

If you want to put a dent in the problem make sure the kids who are growing up in areas where crime and drugs are saturated are educated. Boosting education funds in these areas (and not just inner cities because there are high rates of drug use in rural areas too) benefits everyone and stops the cycle of crime and drug abuse. When people know better, they do better. When they see a way out they will do what they can to achieve.

The war on drugs is just a small part of the war on crime. Druggies ARE criminals, committing crimes.

We MUST NOT give in to criminals.

@Rose Colored Glasses

Dumping more money into the education system isn't the answer. The kids don't want to go to school, they do not want to learn. Then blame everyone else for their problems because they didn't take advantage of the education they were receiving.

AZ Tumbleweed - I work six days a week, busting my brain, my woman and I have taken in one of her son's friends who was having trouble at home (have you taken strangers into your house at no cost to help them?), I walk pretty much a straight and narrow line, but in your view, if I want to smoke a plant every now and then, I'm a criminal, committing crimes?

It's people like you that would make someone like me a criminal for absolutely nothing.

sleep:

I didn't write the law nor did I force you to violate it.

District heights is not the inner city. It is a suburb

Technically it is not inside city limits, but all of PG county is a warzone of DC criminals stretching out.

As DC gentrified during the 10 or so year housing boom, the exodus of low income people from the District to PG county ramped way up. Many of the "inner city " problems went with them. Now people in the area see PG as an "Inner City" due to this influx.

Is starting to happen or has been happening in other urban areas still economically healthy enough to cater to high end yuppy class that wants to move back into the city core. Rent goes up and the poor have to leave.

Technically it is not inside city limits, but all of PG county is a warzone of DC criminals stretching out...

Technically, an IQ of 100 is average, right in the middle. However, given the difficulty of living in the USA today - its considered "marginal" when it comes to jobs which do not require you repeat "you want fries with that" to customers patrionizing your workplace.

If you need to broaden the meaning of everything, to make it fit the profile of your discrimination - No problem. I could accept that as "marginally" acceptable.

as an after thought, several parrots have a habit of bringing up America's Dad - Bill Cosby when they want to add some weight to their pre-determined attitude about "What is wrong with Black folk..", just so it is out in the open - some "White Guy" killed his son. The police reported it as a random act of violence.

I can live with that. I wonder if Bill can? - I mean deep down in his heart, do you think he accepted that determination? Its not like his son was "asking for it" - apparently his car broke down in a "good" part of town - yet, he ended up dead.

Not sure what your profile of discrimination is. I simply stated a fact of Prince Georges County's location to inform others who may not know of it's exact location. Who did I discriminate? Criminals? I have lived in PG county. Where are you from?

No death penalty in Maryland, but I agree with the rest of your comment.

Poet, unfortunately the parents are to blame in most of these situations.

You have some parents that are only adults because they lived long enough to be called one. They buy their kids $200 sneakers, iPads and iPhones but can barely pay rent. Their kids "gotta stay laced" so they can hide the fact they don't put a dime away for savings. They don't require their kids bring home decent grades or NOT get into trouble in order to EARN the material items they possess.

You have parents that let children disrespect adults and in some cases encourage it. Kid fails a class or gets a low grade the parent goes after the teacher. Teacher can't control a class because of laws and lawsuits that actually would punish a teacher for breaking up a fight or providing the type of discipline the kid NEEDS.

This world isn't perfect but PARENTS have a LOT more influence on their kids than anyone else. Sometimes it's the WRONG type of influence.

Well put. Teachers can't be daycare sitters and drill things into these kids heads they should be taught at home.

Being disrespectful to teachers what is wrong with that..........teachers suck.

billy6900 - your parents must be so proud of you.

Davebny

You and I seldom agree. Although I'll admit we might get "testy" with each other, we usually stay within the bounds of civility!! However on your post above all I can say is:

KUDOS Sir.... you have stated the very sad truth of much of the malaise in the inner city today. My hat is off to you.

^5!

I am an African American male and I agree nice comment Dave.

I am an African American woman and I also agree. There has to be some individual responsibility but in this article, where did it say he was wearing nice clothes or anything? If it was material possessions they wanted, why didnt they just jump him?

billy6900

Perfect example of dave's post.

mindyabusiness,

I was referring to the way these kids are raised that gives them the attitude in which they think they can and should do whatever they like. I grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods in my area. So bad it's the first school system to ever be taken over by NY state. I see the attitudes of how these kids are. I grew up with their parents. Teachers have no recourse when it comes to disciplining the youth. Parent's aren't active in their lives. They buy them what they want and let them watch videos and BS on social networking sites all day. There's a lack of police presence so crime just goes on and on. There is a severe lack of responsibility and accountability.

Recently, there have been weapon-wielding kids and grownups shot by police here in the streets of NY. Are the families mad their loved one decided to carry a weapon? NO! They got mad at the cop that's trying to protect the neighborhood and innocents around them! See anything wrong with that??

This is not a problem endemic to a new generation; See WWII for examples of humans who lack empathy and embark on a path of destruction.

Oddly, neither African Americans nor Islam had anything to do with what transpired when Germany decided to go on a rampage across Europe, the Soviet Union, and Northern Africa.

Did you miss the very clear part of the article where it said he was held back a grade? If not, I don't understand why you're confused by his age.

She said her son had a hard time adjusting and was held back a grade. His issues were social, she said, and he was bullied by a group of boys last year.

There's your answer - IN THE STORY!

Ok - so the mother is to blame. This is a very tragic event indeed. When I had bully problems, I was sent to a different school. My problems always came from getting good grades and bullies hated that. I wonder if he could have tried to test out....

18 and only a high school junior?? I graduated at 17. What was he doing instead of passing school the first time?

I'm not sure how the school system is run there, but in Oklahoma your birthdate dictates when you can start kindergarten. I have a cousin that was born only a few months after me but due to her being born in Nov vs me being born in May she had to wait a year before she could start first grade. AT LEAST he was going to school and from reading the article was doing well. It's no shame to hold kids back a year if they are not doing well in school.

How is it the mother's fault or the fault of the victim that he was still attending school? How is the fact that a young man has lost his life lost on you? The fault is with the perpetrator(s)...to suggest that what may have worked in your situation is an ignorant assumption that was an option for this family.

Not to mention she moved to a better school district so he can do better... Geez, so quick to point fingers at everyone except for who's really at fault - the person with the gun!!

The only reason you graduated at 17 was how your bd fell. You can not take credit for that and if you had read the story you would have known he had moved and did not handle the transfer well. You should know he was at least trying because he could have given up and quit two years ago.

Laughing Hysterically--You are an a$$hole, and a narcissist. Obviously a product of exceptional parenting.

And he was succeeding, according to the article. It does say he was on the honor roll. He was probably a great kid - and that might be why he was targeted. My comment about the mother was meant to suggest that if she knew it was sooooo bad at the school, and that the young man was having a harder time than he deserved, why didn't she have him test out of school?

Laughing Histerically----you honestly did not pay attention to the article before you felt that you had to put your opinion on here! Seriously ignorant.

My husband was held back a year in elementary school and that was a decision made by his OWN MOTHER because his reading comprehension was poor by her standards and she wanted him to repeat the year until he got his reading up. Needless to say, he HIT the books and learned to tow the line in school. Both of my girls are super smart and while my youngest needs constant pushing to get her work done, she is very intelligent and BOTH of them know it's homework and other schoolwork FIRST before computer time or anything else and they do that when they get HOME. Back packs are checked and when homework is done, I check it to see it's done , their required reading is done and teacher notes, notices that go home are looked at as well. Yup, the LIBERAL Mom here on my kid's butts ALL the time.

The only reason you graduated at 17 was how your bd fell. You can not take credit for that and if you had read the story you would have known he had moved and did not handle the transfer well. You should know he was at least trying because he could have given up and quit two years ago...

I knew a kid back when I was in short pants ... he was skipped a grade by teachers and principles. Then about half way into his semester in that grade, the new teacher recommended that he be skipped to the next grade. So, when they came back after halloween break - he was put in the next grade.

He had no problem with doing the work - but there were several problems in the new grade. Soon the teacher in that class was reporting that he was causing problems, was "difficult", interrupting classes at the new school.

Come to find out, the problem was he was pepared, did his homework and annswered when called upon - and sometimes spoke too long in trying to give a complete answer to the teachers question. His mom looked over the situation and decided he should go back a grade - which returned him to his old school. So, technically - he was not only held back a grade his records would show he had "failed" 5th grade. His family talked it over and decided to move to a different area. The new school, put him back in 5th grade and he eventually graduated high school at 15 1/2... while attending Junior College at the same time. Seems the problem wasn't with the kid - it was with the teachers he had to deal with. There was one teacher in particular who actually questioned if he was really doing the homework - or if it was being done by the parents.

Great expectations are not what teachers deal with in grade school, they are not hire to teach exceptional students. They are hired to teach the state mandated lesson plan for the grade he was in. If the parent had been more affluent, if the school system had Advanced classes, Magnet schools or funding to encourage, he might have gotten out even earlier.

You are a Fu@@ing ass. How dumb you sound this woman had lost her son and you called her gehtto. I hope you don't have kids, and if one of your kids get shot I'll be sure to make the same comment ass hole.

She affirmed that she's ghetto by her ebonics. Still, a terrible loss for her.

I do have kids. I called her mentality ghetto not her. Personal attacks are not allowed here.

Joe, did you not attack the mother's "personal" mentality.

Justifiably I am sure that nikki was attacking your words, not you "personally".

He specifically called me a fu@@ing ass and an ass hole.

My words were Ghetto Mentality at its worst. big big difference. but thanks for playing

You make it sound like she's inferior or less of person than anybody here.. scratch that. you make it sound like shes inferior to you

Thank You Troy O! Joe if the shoe fits you should probably wear it...

She called you that based on the words that you said...had you not said something so ignorant in your personal and insensitive attack on a woman who just lost her son to a senseless act of violence (have some class) then she probably wouldn't have called you a wittle name...poor baby. Don't bite off more than you can chew...you're like the little boy on the playground that goes around starting trouble but can't take it when kids get tired of your crap.

While you may be disagreeing with Joe, he does have a valid point - the mom did actually say she moved back to that neighborhood from the one with the better schools cause she thought the kids were now 'tough enough' to attend school there.

While it's horrible that a mother would have to think that for her kids to attend any school, it's what the mother actually said.

I'm not blaming her or her son for what happened, but would any of you move to a ghetto area and put your kid in a school there because now you think your kid is 'tough enough'? I'm guessing for most of you, the answer would be no, I wouldn't do that, because I'd rather keep my kid in this better, safer school district and that is not what happened here.

I invite you to take your lilly white a$$ to the heights and see for yourself if any reasonable person would choose to move back there after making it out. Messyjessie she lost the son due to her own choices. Had she not had the mentality that her kids were tough enough for the hood he would still be alive. I am willing to bet he had an air of arrogance after living in an upperscale neighborhood.

She affirmed that she's ghetto by her Ebonics(sic). Still, a terrible loss for her...

I find it strange that very often reporters will "translate" their interviews before putting the remarks in print. For instance, you call it "Ebonics" ... granted. no doubt, in a stressful time (remember - her son is dead, by violence), which likely means she was not self-editing. Personally; I am not a fan of sticking a microphone in the face of relatives who just lost a loved one - to get the; fresh, raw interview... but I digress - thats just my personal view.

However, I found it weird to listen to a speech given by our previous white house occupant, then read the provided transcript which is provided to the press for public consumption. Its like watching a Movie - where the "Indians" way out in hills of North Dakota speak in Shakespearean phrases.

Or some tobacco farmer in Virgina or the Carolina's, who never went to school speaks perfect English - if that can be believed ... when you read their remarks as provided by a reporter. Seems "translation" from red-neck are done spontaneously. But "Ebonics" are printed raw and unedited?

There was "skit" on some comedy TV show I remember. There was this Middle East Indian, was talking and his words were being posted in subtitles, below the scene. So, as the skit goes on he is talking to interviewer - every time they put the microphone to India (who, by the way, - had an Oxford accent) the subtitles would come up.

Through the magic of TV, in real time, he was able to see the subtitles. Eventually he gets angry, the angrier as the subtitles continue. Seems the interviewer couldn't quite process that the Indian actually spoke English clearly.. obviously subtitles were necessary.

Seems their is a policy which reqires them to put some conversations through the "Fair and Balanced" filter.

Amen!

@Jim-343525 I thought that this article was about a shooting in Maryland, not about your personal issues; issues you should take up with your school District.

But since you brought it up. Have any of the adults at the bus stop spoken to this child
about his behavior, encouraged him to tone it down, or considered talking to his parents? Oh no, I forgot, he's 6 feet tall and black so he's an intimidating,ghetto, uneducated menace with no home training. He couldn't possibly have developmental, mental, or behavioral issues.

Your issue is with this child's behavior and not his skin color, his height or his weight. So be a
grown up and address the issue. Speak to his parents, call the school, involve the authorities if necessary but stop insinuating that his behavior has anything to do with the color of his skin. It has EVERYTHING to do with your silence. You come to the comment section of a National News outlet and complain about an issue you could have solved with a 20 minute phone call. An issue that is not about race or violence or
murder but about you’re inability to be the adult in this situation.

Mrs Jackson,

LOL, talk to his parents?? Are you kidding me? The kid is black: He probably has no dad (78% black kids born with no dad present). If he does have a dad he is probably a gang banger or some typical idiot drain on society and would shoot you for showing up at his residence which i mind you he is probably not paying for (section 8 housing vouchers) in the first place, we the tax payers are.

You like many other blacks live in a dream land where you see your race as still being "victimized" by society when in essence you all have every advantage over every other person in society. Colleges accpt lower test scores so the black students can get in, specialized black college funds etc..Then when they graduate we have the worst thing ever called affirmative action which gets them jobs over more qualified individuals who are willing to work and do a better job. This race has every advantage known to man kind these days yet the black race continues to come in last place in terms of everything possible: look it up the facts are there but you want to avoid them and act as if they dont exist: Lowest in education, lowest in IQ, highest crime rate, highest percentage in prisons, highest percentage born without fathers and mothers who want no part of working or taking care of the 4-8 litters each of them have, highest instances of hate crimes (yes black on white crime is at an all time high, highest STD rate etc.. The list goes on and one but until your race stands up and takes responsibility for their actions it will enevr change and the black race will never get any respect in this country. Slavery is over, none of you or even your grandparents were slaves and none of us in this country owe you a damn thing including free housing, food stamps, ebt cards, wic vouchers, jobs you dont deserve, accepting low grade IQ'd losers into universities they dont belong etc... Get over yourself and get over playing the victim as the race thing no longer works.

The mans issue with the childs behavior could very well be a skin color as lets look at some more facts and look at black youth today to find the answer to that. The fact of the matter is stereotypes and first impressions hold true 99% of the time unfortunately and when i see a typical half ratarded black kid wobbling around yelling, cussing and talking violence i see it for what it is and that is typical or the standard norm. how many good black innercity kids do you see? Now how many bad ones do you see? fact of the matter is you choose to put your blinders on to the real problem in society today and it is BLACKS unfortunatley. This country will never progress and will always be in financial trouble because the black race multiples at an unbelievable rate, needs taken care of by everyone, does not contribute to society less you count the NBA, and only kills it with their violence, hate and "i deserve everything give it to me attitude". i say let your kind starve if you dont want to work and just want to commit crimes. Do you realize in China if black were to go overt there they would let everyone of you starve to death in the cold? Oh yeah they would put up with your high crime rate either. If we as a society could adapt something in between what we have now and what china has we might possibly be able to control this disease that is spreading called the black race. Like it or not those are the facts all blacks know it, our leaders know it, all whites know it and every other race knows it as well. Its just everyone is too afraid to appear that they are a big bad racist if they talk about it so they keep quiet and continue to let an entire race of people walk all over everyone, rob us, kill us, take from us, live off our tax dollars, complain that they need more, then in turn hate us and call us white devils for taking care of their worthless behinds. Get off your high horse, get your facts straight and se it for what it is instead of acting like this problem does not exist.

So the deadliest shooting in the Aurora Calarodo theatre was by a black man from your logic.

The greatest problem in our society is ignorance. Ignorance breeds intolerance, revenge, stupidity, failure, fear, anger, educational lack, educational impatience to study and learn, incompetence, etc. in other words when you don't seek true knowledge of and knowledge about, you make ridiculous comments and go on ignorant rants like what 'Shawnsc89' did above.

In a word, Shawnsc89, you are an IDIOT. You shout the word Fact, as if reading Fox news is where facts reside. My family and extended family has 12+ doctors, a ton of teachers, engineers, accountants, and host of successful small business owners, and blue collar workers, white collar, and no collar workers; and we also have some unemployed members that we pray for and keep trying to help atour reunions. We are all black and we love each other and everyone else. Your problem, again, is ignorance.

God says that a man who is prideful and ignorant (Lack of knowledge and truth) is dome for failure.

You are headed that way.

Graduated or got thrown out, laughing? Your posts don't hold much evidence of being educated.

Shawn: are you done with your rant?

This young man was in track and involved in a modeling club and the ROTC. Maybe other students were jealous of him because he was excelling and trying to make something of himself. He had a difficult time when he moved there at first. But, sounds like he pulled himself up.

Dead Eagle

"Propaganda cause"????????

Excuse me, but the mother was noting what the others wanted to do. If you took the time to actually read the entire article, you would have noticed that this kid was actually trying to improve his situation and stay OUT of trouble.

He WAS getting good grades, he WAS a member of the ROTC program, he WAS NOT looking for trouble. Trouble came looking for him.

I'd agree with you if this was the usual... "he's a good boy, just misunderstood", but in this case it appears he WAS the good kid........

"... but in this case it appears he WAS the good kid..."

And, unfortunately, that's probably what got him killed.

Spudbucket-6393332

And the truth of what you say is truly sad.

Exactly what I was saying! He was probably targeted BECAUSE he was a good kid.

People get so butt-hurt on here.

Thats simply not true. If you volunteer for any of the many special interest non profits in the hood, you'll actually see a lot of kids trying to get out of that lifestyle. This is the unfortunate story of a kid who didn't make it. To say no one is trying to change or showing no signs of changing is false. There are more African Americans on college campuses now than ever before (including me!) so don't make broad statements condemning all of us please.

So, William, you live in the inner city, then? Because your post reeks of lack of education and the civility of a boar hog.

Exactly...Every day Darwin's theory of evolution is debunked..Not all things evolve or change and with every stupid act the stereotypes are perpetuated...

Racism seems to ooze between your words. You don't know the color of the shooter. The police are investigating, so at this point there is no reason for Jesse or Al to be involved. Get it?

Rick-881466

You obviously don't know Prince Georges county very well.

And why may I ask is Jesse or Al NOT out there EVERY DAY condemning the black on black violence? The only man that ever really publicly condemned it was Bill Cosby, and he was soundly condemned by the black community for telling the truth.

you fellows are right! if a white kid would have shot and killed a black kid.every one would be marching right behind (A SHARPTON).- (JESSE JACKSON.) as there screaming out raceizem. there are not 2 more bigger racests in our country then those two.

You're welcome; Based on the fact my comment has been removed... it appears that NBC isn't quite as proud of their parent company, Defense Contractor General Electric, as one would expect. I was raised to respect and honor your parents; Apparently NBC must have some rule against referring to their lineage.

(and yes, it is a lineage; Corporations are people now, per the SC).