Celebrating Black History Month

The staff and students at Eagleton School were inspired by the topic of Black History Month to create some thought-provoking creative works.  We're pleased to share a sampling of that work below.

Injustice in the USA:  Joshua R.

I have very strong feelings about injustice. I think people should be treated equally. Having those feelings makes me want to do something about other people being unfair to less fortunate.

I would start by working my way up a scale that gives me the power to make laws, or do something about the way people treat others. Why should people get treated different because their not wearing name brand shoes or because they don't have nice name brand pants or name brand shirts, or if they have physical or mental issues, or because they don't live in a nice house, or because of the color of their skin. If you make one feel bad because they are dark, then you have issues and need to be locked up with all of the other people who do that.

Another issue I want to discuss is bullying. I had issues with bullying but now I'm trying not to bully because I figured that the person I'm bullying might have other issues at home so for me to bully them is cruel and unfair. I would like to stop these unfair acts because I know what it is like to get bullied. I would help this by working my way up to a higher position in which I can stop bullying in all schools and all neighborhoods. I wish to stop people from bullying little kids, autistic kids, and kids with mental retardation. I wish to end it all because it's not fair and shows a sign of injustice.

Another issue I have is hate crimes. Hate crimes are the worst thing I have ever seen because the level of violence that is being shown towards somebody. The way I would stop this by gathering a group of people that believe that hate crimes are bad and protest until the point where they increase the severity of the consequences that are given to the people who are committing hate crimes because again it's unfair.

To end this essay, I want to say that I wrote this because I think people should be treated equally. If those people are being treated equally I would like to lock those people who are discriminating against each other because those people to me can not function in the real world therefore they do not belong in the streets. They belong in jail with all the other bad people.

Those are my thoughts about injustice in the United States.

Topic:  Martin Luther King, Jr. - Peace

Title: Is Violence Addictive

By Miss Tammy's Class

Violence can be seen everywhere.  It can be seen most on the streets, in the supermarket, at one's workplace, and most unfortunately, in one's home. One particular source of violence is the television, especially the media. Due to all this exposure, people can easily get addicted to violence.

Martin Luther King once said that "returning violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars." Violence is vicious cycle. It creates more violence and most often "gets handed down" to the next generation.

Those who have been surrounded by violence growing up may become violent themselves due to the process of desensitization. Violence becomes familiar and one's brain may code it as "normal." People who get accustomed to a violent environment may seek this type of life as a way of stimulating themselves, thus becoming addicted. They may become obsessed with the stimulation that leads to violent acts and not think about the consequences. They could, also be compulsive and repeat violent acts finding it difficult to stop these behaviors even when they don't want to continue. Loss of control due to the inability to manage emotions becomes a problem. During periods of no-violence, those addicted may become irritable or depressed showing signs of withdrawal.  Denying the acts of violence becomes part of those addictive behaviors. They will usually hide their acts from family and friends. A further problem lies with the fact that people justify their acts of violence due to the increasing stressors in their lives.

People who are violent or have an addiction to violence can seek help. They can enroll in anger management classes to develop proper coping skills that do not include acts of violence. Other ways to avoid becoming violent are getting enough sleep and eating properly, creating a non-stressful environment that includes prayer, staying free of substances that are mood altering, choosing to not carry weapons, avoiding television shows and video games that include violence, and developing relationships with people who are positive.

Since violence is on the rise, people need to be more conscious of its presence and understand its repercussions. Just as nicotine is the drug in a cigarette, stimulation is the drug in violence. As long as society ignores the many images of violence, violent acts will continue to spread and remain an epidemic.

By Dominique E.:

I have a dream that people won't judge people no matter what. Just because you look different, people shouldn't judge you.

Don't judge a book by its cover. The book's cover is determined by society. We dress, look and think in ways that are started very early in life; for example, babies are wrapped in pink or blue blankets based on gender. People should be able to make their own choices about religion, people they love and the way they live.

I have a dream that people would not feel threatened or intimidated by others. People could walk freely on the streets. We could eliminate violence.

I have a dream that one day people would be their own boss.

My dream is that all parents should apologize for their mistakes. They would parent with love, understanding, and compassion. They would give and receive respect.

I have a dream that world leaders could see things much better. They would focus on creating jobs and making things better for the future.