Baltimore's Douglass High School Students Respond To Negative Media Attention

Students from Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, Maryland have been blamed by local and national news outlets for being the planners, instigators, and main agitators in Monday's riots in Baltimore City. Today, students returned to the classroom after a day of largely peaceful protests and discussed their frustrations with the unfair negative media portrayal of their school and their city, as well as their feelings about the larger issues plaguing Baltimore City. The CEO and CAO of Baltimore City Public Schools visited the classrooms to engage students in discussions about the recent events. In letters to members of the media, the Baltimore City Police, and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, students express their feelings. (All student work was posted with student permission.)

"I want to know why the media has demonized and disrespected my fellow peers..."

"Baltimore as a whole should focus on a better future an not our tenebrous past."

"The people are going crazy because Man has failed to grow up."

"Have you ever thought that the kids who were involved with this probally also had issues with the police at home...[?]"

"I think writing this letter doesn't show how angry and afraid I am."

"...if you could, can you interview one of the officer[s,] and ask the reason why they became a officer."

"It's embarrassing for the city, for the people to do this..."

"...you are reporting egregious lies that FDHS was the cause and the main aggressors of the rioting and looking at Mondawmin Mall."

"... I actually know for a fact that my closest friends in Douglass would never [participate] in this atrocity."

"Douglass had a bad history in the past but that is all long gone and forgotten."

"I applaud the people that fried to clean up the community."

"... I just feel this really frustrating that they are blaming our school for this mess."

"I believe that Baltimore city can be better. But us as the people have to make it better."

"Just because of this situation that just have happened each and every one has the power to fix it."

"You have to understand if you keep kids locked in one area, things can happen"

"They say we should come in peace but when M.L.K. and his people protested they sprayed them and beat them with sticks to death."

"That man that died is a prime example of what police do to people, black men."

"I'm just angry because I can't practice all night long because a curfew that is enforced now."

"Douglass high school didn't have nothing to do with it. Students at Douglass feel very upset."

"Please don't try to hinder everybody because of a few bad apples."

"I'm an honor roll student that work hard and want to be something in life."