http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/1857149,CST-NWS-mitch01.article

Apparently, Mary Mitchell feels:

In this case, at least one of the teens appears to have had the kind of parents who were actually parenting.

"...."We're not monsters. We didn't raise no monster. And my child . . . I believe my child didn't do this. I believe my child was in it, yes, some kind of way. He was involved in it. He got hung up into this by being with this child, this other kid. But I don't believe my child pulled no trigger," Gregory Brooks Sr., father of one of the two teen suspects, said before TV cameras.

"We'd like to relay to the McClendon family that we are God-fearing people, working people," said Veretta Brooks, the suspect's mother. "I have elderly parents, and my heart goes out to them. I have not been able to work, function properly since. And I feel for them."



Rest in peace Mr. & Mrs. McClendon.

Mary Mitchell is one of my favorite writers from the Sun-Times. As a parent of a teen myself,this is the part of the story that speaks to me.

As parents, we can never underestimate the lure of the streets, and the negative impact our culture of materialism and celebrity worship has on teens.

Every day, the most vulnerable youth are bombarded with images of wealthy lifestyles while they walk among abandoned buildings with empty pockets.

Some are inspired to get out of the poverty. Too many others are sucked in by it.

Because there is a vacuum of credible leadership, the "streets" have become surrogate parents to these disillusioned youth.

Under these dire circumstances, it takes old-fashioned parenting to keep teens away from the criminal element.

Last edited by sparks on 11/1/2009, 4:06 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : sp.)

This is the only one article out of numerous articles over the years where she was being impartial.

However, she never fails to insert, "these parents...they were god-fearing parents," but goes on to say they were wrong.

Did you bother reading the comments to her column, Sparks? More than a handful disputed her article, drawing attention to the facebook entries portraying these kids as they were.


One poster went so far as to say the Hammond Schools in EAST Hammond were responsible. That they already label the kids. What a joke. If that is the case, if I needed a relative to monitor my disruptive kid in class, then I'm as guilty as those parents that failed the kids. The school didn't. The parents did.

I gave up a lot, and so did my ex to send in $400.00 a month to send two kids to private school. I would have paid a lot more, looking back. St. Victor's isn't there anymore. But the bonds between the teachers and students is still there. How important were those teachers? Enough to have reunions from 8th grade, and 8th grade graduates, now in their mid to late 20s still keeping in touch. Parental involvement, going to church together, planting flowers, participating in all sports (they had no real field for sports), cheerleading, connection with the teachers on off-days, the list goes on. Even fundraising, soup kitchens, the kids were involved. The most I can say that made a difference was...the teachers were involved in their lives as much as the parents were. There wasn't room on the playground for gangs. Catholic schools have declined because of tuition. Do I regret giving up money sending them there, or does my "ex" even regret it? Nope.

We just feel bad for those who aren't able to come up with the money for ethics, ethical upbringing...and real course work and a splat of sense of humor, and sensitivity of "belonging in the whirlpool" of talking to teachers in a place where they didn't even know what a gang-banger was.

Those kids are planning another reunion. 90% went on to college.

Now, the church is open to Spanish masses. They attend in droves, but don't donate. The school closed up many years ago. What is unique is the fact is those teachers are still in touch with former students..they email their old teachers and thank them everyday.

It was worth the money I bitched about giving up back in the '90s. The stock market couldn't guarantee the returns of the money invested in the Catholic school. I had my few incidents with them, but in the long run...the best money we ever spent was the cost of Catholic education.

I was in Catholic school until the age of 11 - when we were transplanted from MO to IL. I was stricken scared of being transplanted at Lincoln School, a public school in Dolton. I was so freaking lost...they had a curriculum that I learned in 4th grade, and I was in 6th grade when I got there...11 years old.

We had playgrounds in MO., but my playtime was learning the piano from a nun - giving up my playground time. It was shocking to be transplanted to Dolton.

What never ceases to phase me is nothing has changed since then, except it got a whole lot worse. Mexico is starting to look good to me.

What about this third p[erson they mentioned? Where is he at and what role did ke play?

The police claimed they made up the name, "Kevin Langley". That he never existed. However, Mark Keisling mentioned in his article Sunday, I believe, three of them.

The kid that lured two others to burglarize my house went by the name Kevin Glasgow, or something like that. He resided at 7426 Howard Street. He lived with an aunt and uncle, who swiftly moved out overnight by the time the investigators went there, weeks later. I already knew that before they told me. Had they gone immediately and questioned him while I had him in my car, he could have led them to the culprits immediately.

They had better and more serious crimes to go after. My beef is, I felt he (Kevin) would just continue the thug life...and makes me wonder if they find out where this family moved to, he just may be the "imaginary" accomplice. The uncle knew he came home with this game, in front of the officer, and yet the officer didn't take him in for questioning...while admitting it in front of the officer the day after they burglarized the house at approximately 9:30 a.m.

Have cops in the back, and I'm wondering why since their patio doors were facing the backyard, they didn't find it strange that they busted the back window, and escaped with a flat screen tv, a case of beer, medication and tons of electronic equipment, computer, etc. hauled away in a wicker basket and hamper. One neighbor facing 173rd ST, said he saw them at 9:30 a.m. in the yard. The neighborhood watch sent instead, a form asking the next door neighbor if she witnessed anything. She herself was burglarized a year before; she is or was never home. I don't think they sent the witness/neighbor facing 173rd a form asking if he saw anything.

Anyway, obviously they do this during the day. It just makes me wonder if Kevin wasn't in school "cuz my mama never got around to changing my address from IL to IN", is now a career thief, tipping off his buddies. Don't ever think you are helping someone on Veteran's day, the day school is out, when a 17 year old knocks on your door, offering to rake your lawn. This should be a warning to everyone. If you don't know who's knocking, call the cops. Innocent as they look, it's not like the old days.

Makes ya wonder. The chief knows what Kevin I am referring to...maybe now they should follow up on THAT Kevin, if there really is a 3rd person involved.