Tenley Chick Filet takes measures against loitering after school by students, including Wilson

[Anonymous]

I've raised a Larlo in DC and it was hair raising. I think that the more you tighten up on expectations, the more safe the risk takers and boundary testers actually are. If the ceiling is super high (as the excuse makers are making it) the more the kids will rise to it.
What's sad is that tightening up in Tenleytown actually keeps kids from getting into REAL trouble, but the excuse makers dont really care about their well being.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand what you mean by tightening up. There have not been any useful suggestions on what to do, only complainers.
Police cannot legally arrest teens for being obnoxious and cursing.
Deal MS routinely tells kids to go straight home and avoid the shops but the kids ignore the principal's message.
Wilson is open until 10 pm and has lots of after school sports and activities that many kids participate in. They also have pizza Boli selling pizza in the atrium every day after school. I'm not really sure what else they are supposed to do. Give detention for rude behaviour outside school? Is it some random adult's word against the student. Wilson does not have enough staff to be patrolling Tenley Town every day. The teachers are already busy with helping kids understand the class material after school, coaching clubs and sports teams. Wilson is over capacity by at least 500 students. If you want to do anything useful, write to the mayor and chancellor to provide Wilson with more support staff and teachers. I live in AU Park and am in Tenley a lot when school lets out. Maybe I have just been lucky but I have never felt threatened or unsafe there. I don't frequent the Chick Fil A though.

[Anonymous]

I work in Tenleytown. I commute with Wilson (and some Deal) students daily. I walk up and down Wisconsin, often take the bus, and generally spend a decent amount of time in the company of these kids.

This afternoon I took a walk around the neighborhood right after school let out (which I don't usually -- it's in the middle of my workday, and I typically avoid errands at that time as there are long lines at e.g. CVS). I saw a ton of teens milling around; I saw a couple of beat cops, and at least two Wilson staff members (or adults wearing Wilson lanyards, I assume staff) at the commercial strip on Wisconsin. I had to say "excuse me" to a few kids blocking the sidewalk (quelle horreur). A perfectly pleasant young man opened the door for me at the Starbucks.

My impression is that in general, they are a well behaved bunch. Sometimes they get loud; I've given stern looks one or two times, and I've been an obvious bystander a time or two if it looked like bigger kids were harassing someone smaller. The most egregious thing I've seen or heard is teenage boys making explicit remarks to or about young women. I hear the n-word more than I like, which is unfortunate but hardly criminal. But really, that's just a small handful of all of the kids at Wilson.

I haven't read everything closely on this thread -- I have, however, been following the Cleveland Park mailing list discussion. And from that discussion, what's very very clear to me is that if Wilson kids were majority white, their behavior would not be perceived as nearly so threatening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in Tenleytown. I commute with Wilson (and some Deal) students daily. I walk up and down Wisconsin, often take the bus, and generally spend a decent amount of time in the company of these kids.

This afternoon I took a walk around the neighborhood right after school let out (which I don't usually -- it's in the middle of my workday, and I typically avoid errands at that time as there are long lines at e.g. CVS). I saw a ton of teens milling around; I saw a couple of beat cops, and at least two Wilson staff members (or adults wearing Wilson lanyards, I assume staff) at the commercial strip on Wisconsin. I had to say "excuse me" to a few kids blocking the sidewalk (quelle horreur). A perfectly pleasant young man opened the door for me at the Starbucks.

My impression is that in general, they are a well behaved bunch. Sometimes they get loud; I've given stern looks one or two times, and I've been an obvious bystander a time or two if it looked like bigger kids were harassing someone smaller. The most egregious thing I've seen or heard is teenage boys making explicit remarks to or about young women. I hear the n-word more than I like, which is unfortunate but hardly criminal. But really, that's just a small handful of all of the kids at Wilson.

I haven't read everything closely on this thread -- I have, however, been following the Cleveland Park mailing list discussion. And from that discussion, what's very very clear to me is that if Wilson kids were majority white, their behavior would not be perceived as nearly so threatening.

So what's your point? Jesse Jackson himself has said that if he's walking at night or in an isolated place and hears footsteps behind him, he's relieved when he sees white faces rather than AA. Unfortunate perhaps, but that's what even civil rights leaders internalize based on experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sick of people criminalizing children's behavior. Yes, these teenagers are CHILDREN. And it seems like they don't have better options than to loiter around a chick-fil-a chatting with their friends (sounds pretty harmless to me). And getting 1,000 kids in and out of a school could be pretty crazy.

In case you haven't been around teenagers recently: They are loud, they don't know exactly how to behave yet, they still want to play and have fun but are "too old" to play on playgrounds. I teach at a high school: teenagers love getting stickers. They try to act "grown up", but still sleep with a teddy bear and need their parents help.

When your little Larlo is suddenly a teenager who cusses and takes up the sidewalk while walking with his friends, and then other people call him a criminal/thug/brat, you'll feel differently. You'll know that he comes home and plays with his little brother. Or he loves basketball. Or dancing. Or science. Please stop talking like my students are criminals.

This wins for most naive post of the day. And its only 10:20am!! A 17 year old is NOT a child. These "kids" are doing a LOT more than talking too loud too. Do you even live in DC?

+1

+2. I had the same thought: this post has all the markings of being written by a lovely African American grandmother who lives in a really safe suburb of Greensboro, NC. But who reads DCUM for fun, and thus knows about "Larla"

+100. I love lovely people

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in Tenleytown. I commute with Wilson (and some Deal) students daily. I walk up and down Wisconsin, often take the bus, and generally spend a decent amount of time in the company of these kids.

This afternoon I took a walk around the neighborhood right after school let out (which I don't usually -- it's in the middle of my workday, and I typically avoid errands at that time as there are long lines at e.g. CVS). I saw a ton of teens milling around; I saw a couple of beat cops, and at least two Wilson staff members (or adults wearing Wilson lanyards, I assume staff) at the commercial strip on Wisconsin. I had to say "excuse me" to a few kids blocking the sidewalk (quelle horreur). A perfectly pleasant young man opened the door for me at the Starbucks.

My impression is that in general, they are a well behaved bunch. Sometimes they get loud; I've given stern looks one or two times, and I've been an obvious bystander a time or two if it looked like bigger kids were harassing someone smaller. The most egregious thing I've seen or heard is teenage boys making explicit remarks to or about young women. I hear the n-word more than I like, which is unfortunate but hardly criminal. But really, that's just a small handful of all of the kids at Wilson.

I haven't read everything closely on this thread -- I have, however, been following the Cleveland Park mailing list discussion. And from that discussion, what's very very clear to me is that if Wilson kids were majority white, their behavior would not be perceived as nearly so threatening.

None of these are welcome behaviors. Since they are observable, they can be addressed through preemptive education and when that fails deterrent community policing presence by liaisons who know the children beacause that is their 'beat' (bigger kids harrassing someone smaller, explicit remarks to young women if they are uninvited--your post was unclear). This is not acceptable anywhere.

[Anonymous]

I thought this was the diversity liberals say creates a superior learning environment. You all should be thankful for the wonderful ethos your children are lucky enough to bathe in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in Tenleytown. I commute with Wilson (and some Deal) students daily. I walk up and down Wisconsin, often take the bus, and generally spend a decent amount of time in the company of these kids.

This afternoon I took a walk around the neighborhood right after school let out (which I don't usually -- it's in the middle of my workday, and I typically avoid errands at that time as there are long lines at e.g. CVS). I saw a ton of teens milling around; I saw a couple of beat cops, and at least two Wilson staff members (or adults wearing Wilson lanyards, I assume staff) at the commercial strip on Wisconsin. I had to say "excuse me" to a few kids blocking the sidewalk (quelle horreur). A perfectly pleasant young man opened the door for me at the Starbucks.

My impression is that in general, they are a well behaved bunch. Sometimes they get loud; I've given stern looks one or two times, and I've been an obvious bystander a time or two if it looked like bigger kids were harassing someone smaller. The most egregious thing I've seen or heard is teenage boys making explicit remarks to or about young women. I hear the n-word more than I like, which is unfortunate but hardly criminal. But really, that's just a small handful of all of the kids at Wilson.

I haven't read everything closely on this thread -- I have, however, been following the Cleveland Park mailing list discussion. And from that discussion, what's very very clear to me is that if Wilson kids were majority white, their behavior would not be perceived as nearly so threatening.

As with everything else in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I work in Tenleytown. I commute with Wilson (and some Deal) students daily. I walk up and down Wisconsin, often take the bus, and generally spend a decent amount of time in the company of these kids.

This afternoon I took a walk around the neighborhood right after school let out (which I don't usually -- it's in the middle of my workday, and I typically avoid errands at that time as there are long lines at e.g. CVS). I saw a ton of teens milling around; I saw a couple of beat cops, and at least two Wilson staff members (or adults wearing Wilson lanyards, I assume staff) at the commercial strip on Wisconsin. I had to say "excuse me" to a few kids blocking the sidewalk (quelle horreur). A perfectly pleasant young man opened the door for me at the Starbucks.

My impression is that in general, they are a well behaved bunch. Sometimes they get loud; I've given stern looks one or two times, and I've been an obvious bystander a time or two if it looked like bigger kids were harassing someone smaller. The most egregious thing I've seen or heard is teenage boys making explicit remarks to or about young women. I hear the n-word more than I like, which is unfortunate but hardly criminal. But really, that's just a small handful of all of the kids at Wilson.

I haven't read everything closely on this thread -- I have, however, been following the Cleveland Park mailing list discussion. And from that discussion, what's very very clear to me is that if Wilson kids were majority white, their behavior would not be perceived as nearly so threatening.


As with everything else in America.

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand what you mean by tightening up. There have not been any useful suggestions on what to do, only complainers.
Police cannot legally arrest teens for being obnoxious and cursing.
Deal MS routinely tells kids to go straight home and avoid the shops but the kids ignore the principal's message.
Wilson is open until 10 pm and has lots of after school sports and activities that many kids participate in. They also have pizza Boli selling pizza in the atrium every day after school. I'm not really sure what else they are supposed to do. Give detention for rude behaviour outside school? Is it some random adult's word against the student. Wilson does not have enough staff to be patrolling Tenley Town every day. The teachers are already busy with helping kids understand the class material after school, coaching clubs and sports teams. Wilson is over capacity by at least 500 students. If you want to do anything useful, write to the mayor and chancellor to provide Wilson with more support staff and teachers. I live in AU Park and am in Tenley a lot when school lets out. Maybe I have just been lucky but I have never felt threatened or unsafe there. I don't frequent the Chick Fil A though.

If affected adults were to pull out their iphones and capture the offensive conduct on video (I'm thinking in particular about the PP who got spat on and then verbally abused), is there some way to relay this evidence to the police?

[Anonymous]

I am not sure pulling out an iPhone is what someone being assualted really wants to do at that moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure pulling out an iPhone is what someone being assualted really wants to do at that moment.

I disagree. People should not be afraid to push back against such conduct. And if these are all somewhat misunderstood, still maturing but generally well meaning high school youth, what's the real risk?

[Anonymous]

Coming back to a few comments ago, a lot of people were talking about the poor kids, who are just being kids. Most of them are. But when a 17-year old who is a lot bigger than you is standing on your car, throwing rocks, or cussing at you with his friends, they are the same level of threat as an adult with very poor judgment and maturity -- especially when in a group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand what you mean by tightening up. There have not been any useful suggestions on what to do, only complainers.
Police cannot legally arrest teens for being obnoxious and cursing.
Deal MS routinely tells kids to go straight home and avoid the shops but the kids ignore the principal's message.
Wilson is open until 10 pm and has lots of after school sports and activities that many kids participate in. They also have pizza Boli selling pizza in the atrium every day after school. I'm not really sure what else they are supposed to do. Give detention for rude behaviour outside school? Is it some random adult's word against the student. Wilson does not have enough staff to be patrolling Tenley Town every day. The teachers are already busy with helping kids understand the class material after school, coaching clubs and sports teams. Wilson is over capacity by at least 500 students. If you want to do anything useful, write to the mayor and chancellor to provide Wilson with more support staff and teachers. I live in AU Park and am in Tenley a lot when school lets out. Maybe I have just been lucky but I have never felt threatened or unsafe there. I don't frequent the Chick Fil A though.

If affected adults were to pull out their iphones and capture the offensive conduct on video (I'm thinking in particular about the PP who got spat on and then verbally abused), is there some way to relay this evidence to the police?

This is my question - about legality. I think the victims first job was to get a safe distance but bystanders could kick in .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coming back to a few comments ago, a lot of people were talking about the poor kids, who are just being kids. Most of them are. But when a 17-year old who is a lot bigger than you is standing on your car, throwing rocks, or cussing at you with his friends, they are the same level of threat as an adult with very poor judgment and maturity -- especially when in a group.

Can we stop beating a dead horse here