Schools, police work to support students as wave of violence continues
KCPS expanded its school counselor program this summer
KCPS expanded its school counselor program this summer
KCPS expanded its school counselor program this summer
From May through the first week of September, around a dozen teens have been killed in the metro, including students at school districts on both sides of the state line.
Dr. Lateshia Woodley leads the Kansas City Public Schools program to help staff and students handle the trauma of violent crime.
"We must do something about the violence that's going on in Kansas City.” she said. "It just takes a toll on everyone involved.”
This summer KCPS expanded its counselor program to help handle crime, discipline and poverty issues.
“We really have to do something different in Kansas City Public Schools to really meet the needs of our students,” Woodley said. “Nowadays you're seeing a higher incidence of students who are coming to school with trauma.”
Kansas City police said crime has a ripple effect on many people beyond the victims. Take the August shooting death of 17-year-old Southeast student Zavien Hall, where a second grader was also shot.
"It's the others. It's the witnesses. It's the kids at the school who know about their classmates who have been killed or shot,” said Capt. Tim Hernandez, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department.
Woodley said that while teachers face burnout, students show a mix of grief and anger.
"They're being faced with, really, having to learn about death at an early age," she said.
Police know teens are often not just victims but shooters.
"It's concerning to us that we want to make sure that these guns aren't getting into the hands of children,” Hernandez said. "It unfortunate and it's sad and it's important that we're able to be there and show them that there's more in life."
Both KCPS and police emphasize the answer to violence is everyone being committed to help.
"We can't do it alone,” Woodley said. “We're going to really need the support of our community.”
KCPS is still trying to fill counselor positions. Hernandez said the Kansas City Police Department is focusing its efforts on running conflict resolution programs for kids.