Jose Rodriguez, principal of Benito Juarez High School in Chicago, explains his belief that if schools are experiencing problems with students, it is important for administrators to inform the surrounding community so the problems can be addressed with collaborative initiatives. Excerpted from the video series Pathways to Prevention, videotape #3, Lessons Learned (Chicago Public Schools and the Midwest Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities, 1994).
"If our youngsters are not coming to school, we need to let that be known. We don't need to keep it a secret, and we need to make it an issue in our schools. If gang violence is an issue in our schools, and drug use and abuse is an issue and pregnancy is an issue, we need not try to diminish those aspects of what we do, we need to broadcast, and we need to say that this is a problem that requires your participation, very boldly and very honestly address the issues with our community groups."
This Critical Issue was researched and written by Emanuel Hurwitz, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago; Julius Menacker, Ed.D, Professor of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago; and Ward Weldon, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago. Additional comments were provided by Carol Sullivan, a Minneapolis-based violence prevention consultant.
Date posted: 1996