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Tommy Leon Barber joined a growing but tragic fraternity recently. The 18-year-old was one of the latest teens to be killed in the Charlotte area. He was shot Saturday in Rock Hill by another teen.
The problem of youth violence has gotten high profile focus over the last few weeks as public outcry swelled over the beating death of a Chicago teen captured on a cell phone video and viewed across the world. The death, and the cavalier attitude of the teen assaulters, even got the attention of the Obama administration.
Last week, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Attorney General Eric Holder met with Chicago school officials, parents and students to talk about the escalation of violence among young people in that city, and strategies to tackle it. The city will get $500,000 in federal money for counselors and other programs to deal with the issue.
But we in Charlotte know this is not just a Chicago problem. And so do students nationwide who will converge at West Charlotte High School on Saturday for the 13th annual SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) Summit.
SAVE had its beginnings in Charlotte 20 years ago. It was formed by grieving classmates and teachers of Alex Orange, a popular West Charlotte football player who was killed trying to break up a fight at a party. Fresh from his funeral, the students vowed to do something about youth violence and with teacher Gary Weart as their adviser they started SAVE.
Today, SAVE has more than 200,000 members in more than 1,700 SAVE chapters across the U.S. It operates in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, and community organizations in 46 states and several foreign countries. And it's led by students, for students.
Their active involvement is a vital factor in adequately tackling this issue. They know the terrible stakes more than any of us. A Justice Department survey released last week underscores that.
The survey findings show that:
More than 60 percent of those surveyed were exposed to violence within the past year, either directly or indirectly.
Nearly one half were assaulted at least once in the past year, and more than 1 in 10 were injured as a result.
One tenth were victims of child maltreatment (including physical and emotional abuse, neglect, or a family abduction).
1in 16 were victimized sexually.
Researchers say these data demonstrate that a more comprehensive, coordinated approach is needed to address the fragmented way in which federal, state and local authorities respond to children who have been exposed to violence.
We saw that lack of coordination and fragmented response play out in the tragedy of 15-year-old Tiffany Wright, who social service officials suspected was raped. She was pregnant when she was shot dead at her school bus stop last month.
The young people who participate in SAVE continue to work to prevent violence and give students like them the tools to keep themselves safe and to make their schools and communities safer too. The rest of us - especially adults - must commit in the same manner for those goals to be realized.
After 20 years, getting students to stand against violence is still a work in progress. But SAVE participants aren't giving up the fight. The rest of us must not either.
