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ITP - The Rapid


torgo

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I went to school there. My nephews go to school there and have told many stories. I even spoke to one of my former teachers about this and she nothing that I, and many others have not said. And personally I deal with lots of these kids on a DAILY basis and their discipline problems. If you want to tell us that they are all just good kids misunderstood by society then by all means enjoy the fantasy.

And for the record I called the trouble makers "brats" which is what they are. My compassion goes out to the kids who have to try to function with these animals making things a total mess for them and the teachers.

As for this issue, they need to all be outside. I feel sorry for the innocent, but the situation was judge to be too out of control for the ITP to have such a powder keg in such a small space. Outside they can concentrate on keeping warm and getting on the bus and going home.

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The Rapid shouldn't have quickly labeled the kids "GRPS" students without making sure that was the case.

Even if that was indisputable, who cares? If they're fighting at school, it's GRPS's problem. If they're fighting at the RAPID station I have to ask: Where the heck is security? When I go to the bus/train station in Kalamazoo there are Kalamazoo Public Saftey officers there. Consequently, I feel safe. If there have been 11 fights at the RAPID Central Station and they still don't have cops on staff during peak times that's the fault of the station...not GRPS, not society, not "brats" (or whatever you want to call the kids down there).

What's more, police on the scene during any of the 11 fights involving GRPS kids (which pretty much pegs the time-frame during which the fights would have occurred and removes any excuse for not having cops/security on site during that time frame) could have arrested the trouble-makers and kept the station safe for the 100s of other kids who are riding the bus without incident.

As far as respect for businesses and property, you're right it's an issue.... but it's one that cuts across all racial and economic lines...and it's a minority of kids who give the majority a black eye. Keep that in mind.

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Thanks for your input Dave, and I do believe that the majority of GRPS kids are good kids and that there are more than too many bad kids creating a very hostile and "fight for survival" environment.

I brought up the question about why don't these kids have jobs. In retrospect, maybe it not possible for that many jobs to be available for these kids, but there are a lot of other people and places that could use help. When I was growing up, if we weren't in sports or any other extra-curricular activities after school, we were required to be involved in something else, be it a job, visiting our Grandma to see if she needed anything, church, picking weeds in the neighbor's garden, whatever. My parents understood that kids with idol minds will get into trouble, no matter how good they were.

If there are too many challenges for these expectations from many parents in GRPS (either because of single-parent households, poverty, lack of resources) why doesn't the school require it as part of the curriculum? Some kind of "community involvement" credit each semester that could be filled by work, a sport, band, church group, charity, volunteering, etc.. Not only does it build character, it looks great on a child's transcripts. Maybe they already do?

I agree the RAPID may have jumped the gun in labeling the trouble-makers, but it may have been as simple as the Press asking "Who are the kids that are causing problems?". RAPID's answer: "well there are a lot of GRPS high-schoolers that move through the bus station during those time periods".

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If they're fighting at the RAPID station I have to ask: Where the heck is security? When I go to the bus/train station in Kalamazoo there are Kalamazoo Public Saftey officers there. Consequently, I feel safe. If there have been 11 fights at the RAPID Central Station and they still don't have cops on staff during peak times that's the fault of the station...not GRPS, not society, not "brats" (or whatever you want to call the kids down there).
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The cops are the ones who coined it "babysitting hour", and they told me they are indeed "school kids". This has been going on for years, the Rapid has security guards who are afraid they'll get beat up for jumping in (and they would),

but hey, lets not assume - lets set up a panel to have discovery of the facts for another year while some elderly person stands outside to wait on another day like today. And so it goes........

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It made the news, finally im sure, because they completely closed the building for an hour while the problems went away. They may have taken some heat for this and changed their policy. What I heard/read is that they didnt want the fights inside so they (the rapid) would only let the kids inside 1 at a time. Then some PC parent complained (and probably threatened a suit), so they just closed the building to everybody for an hour. Equal denial under the law.
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The "root cause" is not kids fighting. The root cause of kids fighting at the bus station is: the process of the bus station acting as merely a "transfer point" is broken. If they want it to be a community center, they have to go back to square one and rethink the whole ITP central station system as it stands.
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Here's a novel idea. Expect patrons to not FRIGGIN asualt each other while waiting for their bus. I agree with earlier posts - why the heck can we not built something that is truly a great design and have it REMAIN nice but more importantly safe. LHD - I totally understand your backround and understanding of the GRPS demographic, but enough is enough. I think there is a silent but growing feeling of frustration among normal ordinary citizens who have just about had enough of this crap. The incident at Woodland Mall a couple of weeks ago is another illustration. I would be curious to know how Woodland is performing. Stabbing at the mall - there's a nice touch while your shopping with your family.

As far as discrimination goes - I am being discriminated against too. My kids would be some of the ones who got in trouble if I found out they were so much as RUDE to others or workers at the RAPID, let alone ASSUALT someone. Give me a break. I agree another post - it those GRPS bus tickets are discounted at all - Sorry - they just became full paying customers JUST LIKE THE REST OF US. Is GRPS subsidizing the difference? If not, I don't want a single dime of my taxes giving discounts to a group who are ASSUALTING others. In fact, why not raise ticket prices to pay for the security guards needed to keep these model students from assualting each other. People - we need to snap out of the PC coma. Given our stance in other area's of the world, should our local politicians look at the violence there and start a movement to cut-off funding for the whole place?

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Here's a novel idea. Expect patrons to not FRIGGIN asualt each other while waiting for their bus. I agree with earlier posts - why the heck can we not built something that is truly a great design and have it REMAIN nice but more importantly safe. LHD - I totally understand your backround and understanding of the GRPS demographic, but enough is enough. I think there is a silent but growing feeling of frustration among normal ordinary citizens who have just about had enough of this crap. The incident at Woodland Mall a couple of weeks ago is another illustration. I would be curious to know how Woodland is performing. Stabbing at the mall - there's a nice touch while your shopping with your family.

As far as discrimination goes - I am being discriminated against too. My kids would be some of the ones who got in trouble if I found out they were so much as RUDE to others or workers at the RAPID, let alone ASSUALT someone. Give me a break. I agree another post - it those GRPS bus tickets are discounted at all - Sorry - they just became full paying customers JUST LIKE THE REST OF US. Is GRPS subsidizing the difference? If not, I don't want a single dime of my taxes giving discounts to a group who are ASSUALTING others. In fact, why not raise ticket prices to pay for the security guards needed to keep these model students from assualting each other. People - we need to snap out of the PC coma. Given our stance in other area's of the world, should our local politicians look at the violence there and start a movement to cut-off funding for the whole place?

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As a recently retired, 30 year veteran of the GRPS, I can say from experience that the Rapid station is not the only place where this is a problem - I would urge anyone interested to visit one of our Middle or High schools to see for themselves that this goes on on a daily basis in the schools. The fact that it is spilling over into the public arena does not surprise me. I agree with WOT (#113) - enough is enough - these are young adults and should behave accordingly.

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As a recently retired, 30 year veteran of the GRPS, I can say from experience that the Rapid station is not the only place where this is a problem - I would urge anyone interested to visit one of our Middle or High schools to see for themselves that this goes on on a daily basis in the schools. The fact that it is spilling over into the public arena does not surprise me. I agree with WOT (#113) - enough is enough - these are young adults and should behave accordingly.
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LHD-

As I read through these recent posts and your 'defense' against them I want to say that I am very pleased that you and others like you are serving our schools and our youth. Most of us (and I usually have to include myself in that bunch) are content to sit at our desk and criticize. I am sure that you will be dealing with this issue long after it has disappeared from Page 1 of Urban Planet and most of us have forgotten all about it!

Thank you. Your passion is evident and appreciated.

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Good. This is what was needed from the start. Now that the GRPS has their precious proof that it was students, maybe now that will let the RAPID get down the business.

All of this talk of needing tutors, internet, dancing, and the YMCA was pure baloney. This is a bus station not the Girls and Boys Club.

Give the management some teeth and you will get some results.

Does this tyke mean like a job? Or maybe homework? A 12th grader is a slight step below being an adult, It is not the world's responsibility to entertain you like a 10 year old.

But if they honestly want something to do, maybe the adults in their neighborhoods should get them together and have them spend time picking up litter where they live or helping out older people with household chores. There are plenty of empty lots that need cleaning now that the snow is gone and much more spring cleaning to come. They can keep busy and keep their neighborhoods clean.

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