Miami

Anti-Violence Youth Rally Held to Get Kids to Speak Up

Kids from across Miami came to Jungle Island Friday for an annual rally against violence, just days after loaded guns were found in Brownsville Middle School.

“Tell a cop; tell a cop if someone has a knife or something like that,” one child said at the rally.

The rally, sponsored by the “Do the Right Thing” organization brought 600 kids pledging to help end violence both in and out of school. The rally’s goal to get kids to say something if the see it, paid dividends this week.

It was fellow students who let school officials know the loaded guns were on campus at Brownsville Middle School. The four students that were involved had their own busy day Friday, making a second appearance before a juvenile judge.

This time, the four were allowed to go home.

“I am going to release you, on home detention, which means you are going home and to school if you are allowed to go to school,” a juvenile judge told the kids.

Late in the day, the parents and the four kids left the juvenile justice center. According to Miami-Dade County Schools, the students have been suspended for 10 days and expulsion has been recommended for all of them. The expulsion will be decided upon at the next school board meeting.

Still, thanks to the students who spoke up; the situation at Brownsville Middle didn’t deteriorate into a much worse problem Wednesday. It makes the people behind the rally hopeful that the seeds of anti-violence they plant at events like Friday’s on Jungle Island will pay off in the long run.

“I think it is great that these kids come out and know that it is an issue, know that the police care, know that the community cares,” said Jodi Akison.

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