AJ, an upperclassmen at Oliver Citywide Academy, told his mom that he wanted to go back to school in person, but his mom was worried. (Photo by Oliver Morrison/PublicSource)
by Oliver Morrison, PublicSource
Students at Oliver Citywide Academy are returning to classes Wednesday for the first time after a shooting outside the school on Jan. 19 left student Marquis Campbell dead. Oliver is a highly structured, specialized school for students in grades 3-12 with individualized learning plans (or IEPs) and a staff trained to deal with learning and behavioral challenges.
Some parents were worried that returning to school on Wednesday would be especially difficult for the students, many of whom have emotional, social and behavioral challenges. But on the other hand, many children at Oliver need specialized in-person services to thrive. One mother, Traci Darin, described the dilemma she faced in deciding whether or not to send her child, AJ, back to school in person. AJ, who asked not to use his full name for privacy reasons, is an upperclassmen at Oliver; he also shared about his school journey and feelings on returning after the shooting.
(The interviews below are edited for brevity and clarity.)
Darin shared how the shooting has impacted their family.
On Jan. 19, I got the call from the district around 1 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. As a parent, my heart stopped. Logic was not part of the equation. All I heard was: Shot. Van. Outside. Waiting.
My son, AJ, rides a van midday from Oliver where he does his academics in the morning to a trade school in the afternoon.
I remember realizing: He’s safe, he’s safe, he’s already at his trade school.
He has not been impacted directly, so in his mind, we have to get back to normal. He wants to go back to school. He’s not viewing his life through the filter of being disabled. He’s proud of himself. He’s got a job. He made honor roll. He just wants to be a kid. All teenagers think they are invincible.
He didn’t witness the shooting, thankfully. A lot of children and adults like him are held together with very structured lives. The bipolar has not spiked yet. ‘I’m going back, you can’t stop me, I’ve had it, I hate remote,’ he told me. He’s seething, he’s angry, he wants to be back in person. He could have a delayed reaction.
So I’m between a rock and a hard spot. So if I send him back, even for just the half day, does he have the insight to carry himself with grace and put aside the paranoia that his illness breeds? I can’t speak for all parents but my concern is that these kids are going to be in varying states of stability upon return. So it’s not so simple as, ‘Are they going to be safe from another shooting?’ It’s, ‘Are they ready emotionally to deal with each other’s emotional volatility?’
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