Teenagers Who Vandalized Historic Black Schoolhouse Are Ordered to Read

[Bebe 17,289]

After five teenagers defaced a historic black schoolhouse in Virginia with racist and anti-Semitic graffiti last year, a judge handed down an unusual sentence. She endorsed a prosecutor’s order that they read one book each month for the next 12 months and write a report about it.

But not just any books: They must address some of history’s most divisive and tragic periods. The teenagers can read “Night,” by Elie Wiesel, to learn about the Holocaust. They can crack open Maya Angelou’s landmark 1969 book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” for an unsparing account of the Jim Crow South. They can also dive into “The Kite Runner,” by Khaled Hosseini, a captivating tale about two boys from Afghanistan.

Those books were among the 35 works of literature that the judge, Avelina Jacob, ordered the unidentified teenagers, ages 16 and 17, in Loudoun County to choose from last week after they pleaded guilty to spray-painting the Ashburn Colored School, a dilapidated, one-room 19th-century schoolhouse that had been used by black children during segregation in Northern Virginia.

The teenagers’ sentence, known as a disposition in juvenile cases, also includes a mandatory visit to the Holocaust Museum in Washington and the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History’s exhibit on Japanese-American internment camps in the United States.

The graffiti sprayed in September on the building in Ashburn, a community of about 43,000 people northwest of Washington, included swastikas, dinosaurs, sexual images and the phrases “brown power” and “white power.”

Two of the teenagers are white and three are minorities, the commonwealth attorney’s office said in a statement announcing the decision last week. They were arrested in October, and each pleaded guilty to one count of destruction of private property and one count of unlawful entry. At least one of the teenagers said he did not know the symbolism of a swastika.

......

The teenagers will also be required to write a paper about the impact swastikas and “white power” messages have on African-Americans and members of the broader community. The paper must include historical references such as Nazism, lynchings and discriminatory laws.

They must also listen to a recorded interview of Yvonne Neal, a Virginia woman who described her experiences as a student from 1938 to 1945 at the Ashburn Colored School, its official name in tax records.

Read More: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/08/us/black-school-racist-sexist-graffiti.html

Love this story  I'm a far bigger fan of restorative justice than punitive justice. Hopefully this actually educates these kids, helps them understand the weight of their crimes and prevents recidivism.

[Red 99,109]

Well that sounds like a good idea but book reports can be found by the hundreds on the internet  

[uo111 5,282]

3 minutes ago, Red said:

Well that sounds like a good idea but book reports can be found by the hundreds on the internet  

There are anti-plagarism tools on the internet too.

[Bebe 17,289]

1 minute ago, Red said:

Well that sounds like a good idea but book reports can be found by the hundreds on the internet  

They have to write an essay every month about the book they chose, they have to attend mandatory visit to the Holocaust Museum in Washington and the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History’s exhibit on Japanese-American internment camps in the United States, They must also listen to a recorded interview of Yvonne Neal and they have to write an additional paper about the impact swastikas and “white power” messages have on African-Americans and members of the broader community. The paper must include historical references such as Nazism, lynchings and discriminatory laws.

They could try and take a shortcut by using book reports for their essays, but that's only one part and I'm the sure the court would be smart enough to recognise if the essay is plagiarized by some book report. 

After writing 12 essays on these books, writing an additional essay on the impact of swastikas, attending the holocaust museum and an exhibit on Japanese-American internment while also listening to a recorded interview with Yvonne Neal I'm sure something will sink in - even if they try, and manage, to cut corners on the twelve book reports.

[MonsterPaws 2,745]

8 minutes ago, Bebe said:

They have to write an essay every month about the book they chose, they have to attend mandatory visit to the Holocaust Museum in Washington and the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History’s exhibit on Japanese-American internment camps in the United States, They must also listen to a recorded interview of Yvonne Neal and they have to write an additional paper about the impact swastikas and “white power” messages have on African-Americans and members of the broader community. The paper must include historical references such as Nazism, lynchings and discriminatory laws.

They could try and take a shortcut by using book reports for their essays, but that's only one part and I'm the sure the court would be smart enough to recognise if the essay is plagiarized by some book report. 

After writing 12 essays on these books, writing an additional essay on the impact of swastikas, attending the holocaust museum and an exhibit on Japanese-American internment while also listening to a recorded interview with Yvonne Neal I'm sure something will sink in - even if they try, and manage, to cut corners on the twelve book reports.

I agree. Some may say they deserve something harsher, but tbh. THIS could actually help fix a problem rather than put a band-aid on it.

These kids could grow up to be more understanding people.

[littlepotter 76,610]

This is so beautiful 

[AyaKara 2,282]

I was angry reading the title, but once I read the article, I really, really like this.

[Morphine Prince 109,656]

Good. 

Because these racists need a damn education. At least they are young. 

[InsideOutright 1,118]

[John Slayne 4,154]

Here for it! Way better than putting them in jail imo.  

[RAMROD 117,048]

They betta get educated!

 

[Blue wig 353]

I love how education makes people grow, and how those people are getting SMACKED around the head with education!

Like people said, this is good: the punishment will make them grow, and won't make them angry, like just being thrown in prison or something like that.

[PartySick 172,536]

Good. Education > punishment  

[Fusel 1,111]

I love this 

[donutellha 13,819]

I ran in here fuming, came out relaxed.