And yet, sadly, that’s what makes the tragedy at Reynolds High School relevant to my story assignment. Good teachers know all too well they have the power to alter the course of children’s lives.
“Call Me Mister” aims to prepare teachers for that. “The stakes are incredibly high,” said Roy Jones, one of the program’s founders, “because this is about rescuing children who otherwise will face incarceration, rather than college.”
Do you want to know what the young black men in this program talk about when they talk about instilling hope in children? They talk about taking the time to embrace even the most troubled child and saying, ” ‘I’m there for you, because I care, even when nobody else does.’ ”
Twenty-seven year old Michael Barron, a fifth-grade teacher and a graduate of the program, says his role as a mentor goes well beyond the classroom. He says he’s made a lifetime commitment to the redemption of young black men like him who too often are viewed as “irresponsible” or disinterested in the well being of their communities.