Government/Politics
Flint, Michigan and the Rise of Youth Violence
(Fall 2013)
FLINT, MICH. AND THE RISE OF YOUTH VIOLENCE
Written By: Christopher Smith
Eighteen is the age that most young adults start to wonder what they are going to do with the rest of their lives. In Sept., Flint resident Tyree Austin learned that he would be spending the rest of his life and teenage years in side a jail cell after being found guilty of murder. In what has sadly become a more common occurrence in Flint another teen’s life is now over, is this just a terrible circumstance or another product of an overall flawed system?
The level of violence in the city of Flint, Mich. has continued to be what the city is most famous for and the number of teens adding to this violence is a reason for that. In a city where schools are closing on an annual basis and the number of police officers available are decreasing, the problem continues to grow.
“Its rough out here…everyday it seems that I’m hearing about someone getting shot or going to jail,” said 16-year-old Flint resident Tay Williams. “Flint has always been a rough city but now it seems like it’s getting worse.”
It’s a problem that has long-term effects if there is no diagnosis or solution presented by the people who potentially have to power to accomplish these tasks. How it got to this point is the question that seems to be on everyone’s mind, how Flint will solve it is the question that not many have been able to answer.
Last year the city of Flint, a population of a little over 100,000, witnessed 66 homicides. About one-third of those homicides were incidents where either the victim or the offender was under the age of 20. Already in 2013 more than 100 teens have been arrested with over 40 of them being arrested for violent crimes. Even more shocking one-fourth of the teenagers in Flint, Mich. said they had a firearm in their home or carried one around.
Once again this year Flint was considered by the FBI to have the highest crime rate in the United States for cities with a population less than half a million. Some publications even consider it to be the most dangerous city in America. Violence has been a big part of Flint’s recent history but it seems that now more than ever this trend has trickled down to the city’s youth.
The blame for the continuing rise in youth violence in the city can be pointed in many directions. Most important of which is the school system that has seen 20 schools close down in the past 10 years. The closing of schools to trim the overall budget method has been used by Flint Community Schools and their Board of Education has done nothing but cause the decline of a school district where only 52% of the students graduate.
“There needs to be some real thought put towards what schools are closed and why they are being closed”, said Flint City Council member Bryant Nolden. “I realize there are a lot of challenges facing Flint Community Schools but we need to think more carefully when we choose to close some of these schools”.
If the young adults of the Flint area aren’t receiving a proper education that could explain reasons as to why 38% of the city’s population is living in poverty situations. In the 1970s Flint thrived off the ability of their citizens to be able work for General Motors and make enough money for themselves and their family. Now that several GM plants have closed down over the years there are few options for a Flint resident with a high school diploma let alone someone who has chosen to drop out before receiving that diploma.
The shutdown of community programs like the Parks and Recreational program has added to this problem and has left many of the young people of Flint with very little options. With nothing productive to do after school and no education many in the area turn towards violence, drug selling and using. The lack of the amount of police officers needed to subdue the violence, one officer for every 830 people, compounds the problem and creates an atmosphere that is toxic for the teens in the Flint area.
“When I was their age the city was going through some tough times but at least we had some where to go, I was in the Big Brother program and things like that but now those programs don’t exist,” said 24-year-old Flint resident Cameron Doyle.
As the crime rate in Flint rises the topic is now pointed in the direction of finding a solution for the youth violence. Flint mayor Dayne Walling was a participant in a roundtable discussion with President Obama and several other mayors in the White House. The discussion was on youth violence and coming up with strategies to solve this evolving problem. Many ideas were brought up including reforms on gun violence but in a city where a large number of teens own guns illegally this idea and others like it may not be the answer.
The lack of school funding has caused many to bring up the idea of a charter school that could possibly help get people off the streets and back into the classrooms. Rev. Reginald Flynn, local Flint resident, has started a group called “The North Flint Reinvestment Corp” whose main focus was to build a Charter school on Flint’s north side. This method has worked in other cities like New York and their Success Academy Charter Schools, which has taken students from bad neighborhoods and given them a chance to get an education and build towards their future.
In September of 2013 four Flint residents lost their lives after being murdered by 18-year-old Deonte Gray in what has been a not so uncommon occurrence of youth violence ending someone’s life in the area. The city of Flint and its residents have fallen on hard times and people seem to be left with more questions than answers. There are many things Flint needs to accomplish to help return the city back to order but becoming aware of the rise of youth violence might be a good place to start.
Ypsilanti City Council Discusses Providing Bus Passes to EMU Students
(October 2013)
Eastern Michigan University witnessed their largest freshmen enrollment in school history this year and with that came more problems with their parking system, problems that were brought up by Ypsilanti’s City Council and its members.
EMU has received many complaints from its students about the lack of available Parking on campus and these complaints have now reached the Mayor of Ypsilanti and its City Council. On Tuesday during the City Council’s bimonthly meeting in its chambers the topic of providing a solution to EMU’s parking problems was brought up by Council Member Susan Moeller.
Students at EMU have asked the City of Ypsilanti to provide them with bus passes that will allow them to park in the nearby Convocation Center parking lot for free and then ride the city bus system to the main campus.
EMU has raised the rates for student parking this semester and along with the limited number of available parking spots on a daily basis the City Council felt this was an important enough issue to discuss.
“Many EMU students have expressed their frustration with the parking system”, said City Council Member Moeller in Tuesdays meeting. “According to them this will help with the parking problem”.
The plan presented by Moeller will cost the city half a million dollars and the city will need to create a bus line that drops and picks up students from the Convocation Center parking lot. This plan was discussed by the council and will be further deliberated upon at next meeting.
The City Council of Ypsilanti didn’t discuss many proposals because of very little to none audience participation but they were able to approve a prior proposal that was up for a vote.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, IAFF, were able to get their new 5-year contract approved by the City of Ypsilanti. This contract will increase pay by 5 percent and give new hires a better benefit package.
The increase of pay also comes along with a guarantee that the fire department will have a minimum of 15 firefighters on staff and no one who is currently employed as an Ypsilanti firefighter can be laid off before June 2017. Ypsilanti Firefighter’s Union President, Ken Hobbs, was present at the meeting to persuade the council to vote yes on the proposal.
“I’m actually on duty right now, I made time to come here”, said Ken Hobbs during the Meeting. “I feel that this new contract is what’s in the best interest of the citizens (of Ypsilanti).”
The City Council of Ypsilanti will meet again and discuss future proposals and resolutions on Oct. 15 in the City Council Chambers.
$36 Million Bond Proposed By Grand Blanc Schools
Greater technology, increased security and new buses could potentially be paid for with a $36 million bond that is being proposed by Grand Blanc Schools district that residents will be asked to approve Nov. 5.
The bond will potentially help with purchasing and installing technology that will help with instructing students along with security improvements and new school buses. Grand Blanc School District, the largest in Genesee County, will leave the decision up to the county voters whether or not the improvements are necessary and if they are willing to pay the tax increase that will go along with it.
The bond will be stretched out over a 12-year period and is geared toward improving the learning environment with the newest technology which the district feels will benefit their current and future students.
Superintendent of Grand Blanc Schools, Norman Abdella, released a statement explaining to the local community the reasoning behind the proposal and hopes of it being approved.
“Outdated computer labs will be replaced by flexible learning centers that have the capability of putting our students in collaborative, real-world problem solving situations requiring creative and innovative solutions,” said Abdella in his Statement.
“In November, residents will decide if we are to continue to piecemeal our technological programs and safety improvements, or if they will remain steadfast in their traditional desire to keep Grand Blanc Community Schools the hallmark of educational excellence by hopefully supporting this endeavor.”
The bond proposed by Grand Blanc is worth less than bonds that have been brought to a vote by nearby school districts Fenton and Goodrich, both of which were rejected by Genesee County voters.
Grand Blanc Schools are often listed high in the rankings of school districts in the state of Michigan according to Michigan.gov. The bond will provide improvements to a school that has already been remodeled in the past five years. Convincing a county that is currently witnessing school closings in cities like Flint will be a difficult task.
The bond will cost tax payers with an $80,000 home around $4.10 more per month in taxes and $20.50 per month for someone with a home valuated at $400,000.
This is bond that will be used strictly for advancements that are meant to improve the learning environment for students.
“Bonds cannot pay for salaries, pay raises, etc.”, said Superintendent Abdella. “By law they must be used for their expressed purposes.”
Citizens of Genesee County can vote on this proposal and other issues that are up for a vote on Nov. 5 at their proper voting location.
(October 2013)
Bulimia: A Closer Look at the Disease of Our Generation
Over 5 million young women in the world struggle with an eating disorder of some kind. At a time when teenage and college girls should be worrying about the simple things in life, a large number of our young women are dealing with a much deeper issue.
Anorexia and Bulimia are two disorders that have become a large part of the lives of young women in today’s world. If they don’t suffer from these conditions then they most likely know someone who is or has been affected by it. The obsession with the fear of becoming fat is one the can take a huge toll on a women’s mind and body.
“Eating disorders such as Anorexia and Bulimia are mental illnesses”, said Dr. Bill Martin of Genesys Health Services in the Grand Blanc, MI Area. “This disorder often isn’t a lifestyle choice but a disease that needs to be cured just like any other disease.”
This is an illness that has been ignored but is an issue that is becoming a growing problem especially among young women. Young teenagers and college students are having to deal with eating disorders and not much is being done about it so that this trend can start going in the opposite direction.
Eating Disorders are a mental illness and one that can lead to dangerous consequences and side effects. Almost 20 percent of women who suffer from eating disorders die early from complications that are a direct correlation with their disorder and illness.
When a person is obsessed with being fat or becoming fat this becomes a disease that is known as Anorexia Nervosa. The loss of weight is a direct correlation to that fear and this unhealthy why acting and thinking leads to dangerous and life threating side effects.
Bulimia is the act of purging food and going on food binges to lose weight or to stay thin. This eating disorder is the result of low self-esteem, depression, and a poor body image of themselves. The purging of food often consists of a person making themselves throw up.
The cause of eating disorders like Anorexia and Bulimia are often unknown by most people but they can originate from various things. Some suffer from depression and anxiety which leads to them developing an eating disorder. A lot of young women who suffering from these disorders do so because they feel that they have no control over their life and this is their way of taking that control back.
A large number of young women who are dealing with an eating disorder are influenced by the world around them and feel that their current self isn’t good enough and go about an unhealthy and dangerous way of solving that problem.
Young women are often impressionable and can be influenced by the images they see on a daily basis. Many of the images they see in magazines and on television are images of women who are thin and skinny. The lack of images featuring women of all sizes and shapes has made an influence in the minds of young girls and has made them think that because they look different then the images they see every day, they are not good enough.
Majority of the commercials on television and the advertisements in magazines feature products that have something to do with looks or beauty. This worldwide fascination with being thin and beautiful has changed a lot of lives for the worse and the people among us who should be protected the most have been giving the impression that who they are on the inside and on the outside isn’t acceptable to society. These young women want to mirror the looks of the celebrities that they worship but don’t often realize that they themselves are dealing with these same eating disorders.
Singer Demi Lovato recently admitted to suffering from eating disorders and has devoted her life to helping young women with the same problems. “It’s very crucial that you get your feelings out but don’t ever inflict harm on your own body because your body is so sacred”, she said in an interview with seventeen.com. “I wish I could tell every young girl with an eating disorder, or who has harmed herself in any way, that she’s worthy of life and that her life has meaning. You can overcome and get through anything.”
One of the hardest things for any person to do could be to admit that they have a problem or an issue within themselves and that they need to get help for it. Whether is drug abuse or gambling problems people often don’t admit that they have an issue and deal with it internally instead of talking about it and getting the help that they need. Women of all different sizes and shapes deal with eating disorder issues and the tools they need to get help are available at their disposal.
One thing a young women suffering from eating disorders can be sure of is that she is not alone and that there are millions of others going through the same things she is. There are hotlines, support groups, rehabilitation centers, and various other treatment options all over the world that are dedicated to helping young women and everyone get help to try to bring an end to this disease and illness.
“The major treatments for eating disorder are psychotherapy or talk therapy”, said Dr. Daniel Gih of the University of Michigan. “The goal is to establish normal healthy eating patterns so that they mind and body returns to its naturally functioning state.”
Even with all of the options available for someone suffering from eating disorders to get help it still doesn’t mean that they will fell strong enough to ask for the help that they need. This is an illness that is incredibly common and in order for more women to come forward and get help that views on eating disorders need to be changed. Frowning upon someone with an eating disorder and looking down on them as a person only leads to more young women not getting the help they need which hurts our society as a whole.
This is an issue that needs to be solved and one that can be solved if the necessary changes are made in our world. It can be as simple as giving someone a compliment instead of putting them down. This task can also be challenging such as changing the images in the media and adding images that are more universal. Bringing this issue to light and familiarizing ourselves with the social issue of eating disorders is just the first step, the next is making sure eating disorders doesn’t affect the next generation the same way it effected generations of the past and the present.
“Regardless of where you seek help…getting help is the most important thing”, said Dr. Daniel Gih.
Sources and References
- Dr. Daniel Gih – 734-232-7531
- nationaleatingdisorders.org
- hmayoclinic.com/health/eating-disorders
- pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/eatingdisorders
- Seventeen.com
- Dr. Bill Martin – 810-424-2400
@CJSMITHEMU 