On Sunday, I posted an article on YouthBuild, which reported on the second YouthBuild campus coming in 2011 to the JF Cook School.
YouthBuild drafts opportunities for dropouts (Washington Post, 12/27/2009)
The article mentions that “several of the YouthBuild students have criminal records.”
I was anticipating SOME feedback from DC BACA blog readers.
I wasn’t anticipating total silence.
I was expecting to see a * few * responses, such as:
“What did you expect?”
Or
- “Look, the school is coming, we should embrace them as is and get on with it”
It IS no surprise that some of the YouthBuild students have criminal records. Hopefully, their active participation in the well-regarded YouthBuild program will help improve their lives.
But.
Why is it that residents of the neighborhood in which YouthBuild will be locating in 2011 learn that “several of the students have criminal records” NOT from the mouths of either Arthur Dade or Mai Fernandez at one of the many community meetings that they have attended?
Why is that the community is now learning that several of the YouthBuild students have criminal records from a Washington Post article?
This is NOT the way to build a partnership with the community.
Bates Area Civic Association 
Show me someone who CAN MAKE good use for the Slater, Langston, and Cooks schools, and I will certainly makes comments and show support. I think many commenters are on holiday this week. Most might feel that the Mayor will make backroom deals and we will have to live with it.
I don’t have much of a response either. I know we voted almost unanimously against the project, but I don’t feel that strongly about it. It’s not really popular technique to change opinions, but I’ve always been one to allow good actions and arguments to persuade me. I think overall we could do worse than LAYC. I like that they came out in force to our neighborhood clean-up/beautification in October. They’ve tried several times since that meeting with the mayor to make contact with the community. I support the community’s opposition of them, but I don’t feel its my effort to spearhead. If there were other folks spearheading the opposition I’d be supportive, but as you noted, Scott, there’s been little followup.
My initial thought is that this is no surprise. I guess I had been assuming this was the case for some of the residents. While this is certainly a matter of concern, I want very much to try to give all the residents the benefit of the doubt and a clean slate from which to start their new lives.
The recent snow storm provided a great opportunity for the forthcoming residents and the organization’s leadership to show their commitment to being active, responsible neighbors by eventually shoveling the sidewalk on P St. but that was not done. Every missed opportunity plus information like the above, add up. The balance of pros and cons about these residents and their organization being a positive and valuable addition to this community is a delicate one.
Personally, I’m more concerned with what seems to be the ever changing list of services that will be offered through the old school. The charter school appears to be just a cover for what is really moving in there.
In addition to the 2 floors of residents, they are also fitting in: Health services, Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse Services, and HIV/AIDS Testing/Counselling.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=5&ved=0CBYQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsroom.dc.gov%2Ffile.aspx%2Frelease%2F17502%2FCookSchoolNarrative.pdf&rct=j&q=layc+services+cook&ei=jTZCS-H4M8KVtgf5p_T9CA&usg=AFQjCNGu97ZtMNnkseUz74K85jTQaRg75w
Also, interesting to note, the rental units/housing and school will be under different ownership
A cleaner link http://newsroom.dc.gov/file.aspx/release/17502/CookSchoolNarrative.pdf