Link to Table of Contents Birdie Index Violence, Up Front and Personal

Dear Habermas Logo and Link to Site Index A Justice Site

A Teaching Essay

Mirror Sites:
CSUDH Habermas UWP

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: April 29, 2001
Latest update: April 29, 2001
 E-Mailjeannecurran@habermas.org

Violence, Up Front and Personal

Teaching Essay by Jeanne Curran and Susan R. Takata

Copyright: Jeanne Curran, Susan R. Takata, and Maria Martinez, April 2001. "Fair Use" encouraged.

On Saturday, April 28, 2001, Maria Martinez sent this account of her own "lived experience" with violence. I was so profoundly touched by this account, that I began to wonder how many of you have had similar experiences. Let's share them, as I shared with you last week that the lives of three people I know have been touched by murder.

On Saturday, April 28m 2001, Maria Martinez wrote:

Jeanne, from my understanding you want an essay about violence, therefore I am going to write my essay from my experience at my job.

Shooting at Nickerson Garden

Everyday there is the unexpected tragedy that takes place in this big world we live in. For example: an unexpected cold blooded shooting, (POW POW POW), sounds of bullets hitting everywhere. There was an incident that happened at approximately 11:00 a.m. Children were totally involved with their daily activity at the Nickerson Head Start pre-school, located on 113th and Compton Ave.

I noticed staff, parents, and children running. I said to myself, "What! Oh, no, please! This cannot be happening." (I am thinking about the shots that are ringing out.) As I looked out the window, people were screaming, falling, running, crawling on the green, grassy, muddy fields, trying to get to a safe spot. There were just so many bullets hitting our building.

Teachers, children and visitors began to scream and cry, trying to go under the large tables. Bullets continued to hit so hard and fast that I, personally, believed that I was in Vietnam fighting a senseless war all alone. I heard a voice hollering, "Hurry! Get the children and everybody inside. They are following to kill us for no reason at all!" The group of teenagers continued running for their lives, trying to hide in the back of the housing projects.

Meanwhile, hell continued to break loose. Some of the children probably did not understand what was happening, because they continued to play. They did not seem to pay attention to the chaos around them. They were probably used to this type of event, or maybe they tried to ignore the incident. Perhaps everyone's prayers had reached God's tight schedule, because the shooting stopped and we all began to comfort each other.

We discussed our feelings to release the stress and frustration. After everyone finished expressing their feelings, it was time to serve lunch and prepare for the parents to pick up their children.

As a concerned parent and teacher, I was terrified for my co-workers, students, and myself. This was the worst incident I have seen in my entire life. I pray such an incident never happens again. I would be devastated if my family had to face this sick situation alone. I would prefer to be with them, if possible. I learned a valuable lesson, never take life for granted.

On Sunday, April 29, 2001, jeanne responded:

Maria, I am so glad you shared this story with us. I see so much in it, and have so many questions for you.

  1. You never mention the police. Were they there? Did they come to your rescue? Or were you of Head Start left pretty much to your own strategies?

  2. I am astounded that many of the children tried to ignore the chaos. I should have been so frightened, as apparently were all the adults.

  3. Was it teenagers shooting at you and the others? Is that why they were running for their lives? If so, was someone running after the teenagers, and were those chasing them shooting also?

  4. Were there counselors there to help you all deal with the stress you'd just been through? Where did the counselors come from, if, in fact, there were any?

  5. You say that "After everyone finished expressing their feelings, it was time to serve lunch and prepare for the parents to pick up their children." Did all this take place within an hour, since you said it began around 11 a.m.?

  6. Were the parents called to come pick up their children as soon as it was safe to do so? Were the media ever present?

    You captured a wonderful effect, Maria, in the telling of your story, but I know that others will have questions and experiences to add. We'll talk about this in class this week.

    love and peace, jeanne