The REAL Story At Miami Edison Senior High School: Students Protest, Police Riot - Comments

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Published on Wednesday, 19 March 2008

Written by Max Rameau

Edison students not troublemakers

by Scott Miller (Edison Teacher) Thursday, Mar. 06, 2008 at 7:50 PM

As a teacher at Miami Edison Senior High School for the past four years, I have had many difficult and challenging days. But never have I felt as low and helpless as I did Friday. I was shocked to see students whose safety is entrusted to me being pushed back by police in riot gear and, in some cases, thrown to the ground. Seeing students crying, traumatized by what they had seen, while more police arrived with dogs, hurt me profoundly.

Contrary to what some may expect, the students arrested were, for the most part, not troublemakers. No weapons were found. A review of their academic records may surprise others.

At Edison we have been under unbelievable pressure to continue our gains on the FCAT. This year we have had many visitors who have come to see the "Edison Miracle," including Gov. Crist.

Some of the students handcuffed in the back of police cruisers were the same ones who were asked to dress up and greet our distinguished guests. Keep in mind that pep rallies, student clubs, dances and other social activities have been cut back or replaced with rigorous academic scheduling and rallies for the FCAT.

As a witness to the chaos that engulfed our school, I am thankful that nobody was seriously injured or killed. A thorough investigation of this travesty and the events leading up to it is necessary. But if we are to move forward and save our school, we must stop and listen to our children. As African-American History Month has given way to "FCAT Preparation Month," how ironic that our students, however misguided, had to give us a lesson in what happens when you replace imagination and vision with objective, measurable benchmarks.

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