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* Dusty Rhodes thought a young man’s testimony to the General Assembly in favor of a bill to restrict school suspensions and expulsions sounded too good to be true. For instance…
“My junior high school had a very set protocol for disciplinary referrals,” Anderson said. “At three you got an out-of-school suspension; at five you got expulsion. In 8th grade, I set my junior high school single-year record at 54, and I was not expelled. And the reason for that was: I had an assistant principal who pulled me aside and told me that I was too smart for the dumb things I was doing. He said that he wasn’t going to let my behavior at age 13 affect what I was going to do at 23, 33 and 43.
“Every time that I would get those disciplinary referrals, he would pull me into his office and he’d make sure that my teachers forwarded my homework to his office, and I would do my school work in his office. And because of that, he didn’t allow my immaturity to affect who I became as an adult. And now I have a college degree, a law degree, and I’m sitting here before you to advocate on behalf of legislation that is that champion, that is that assistant principal who was there for me. All these young people — they don’t always have that. What this legislation does is it seeks to give those young people that additional champion.”
* But then she tracked down that assistant principal…
“Quentin Anderson! Really, really liked him. He drove me crazy!” Hampton said, “I’m not going to lie, he drove me crazy. It was just… at the time, he wasn’t a bad person, he just was going through some tough times, which led to really poor choices.” […]
“Quentin went through some really difficult phases, but you know what? If you can look past their choices and look into their heart, I really believe that there’s a big difference between who a person is versus the choice they make,” Hampton said. “Yeah, you have to pay for this choice, but are you really a bad person? No. Let’s rethink this. That’s how you change behavior.”
But Hampton didn’t just change Quentin Anderson’s behavior. The change Hampton made in that one student eventually changed the law in Illinois.
* But the story doesn’t end there. Dusty sent me an e-mail today…
So yesterday we aired this story that originated when I watched this kid lobby for Lightford’s SB100, and became suspicious that his personal tale he kept telling all the lawmakers was exaggerated if not wholly fabricated. Turns out — it wasn’t. But when I sent him a pic of the principal he had talked about every time he testified, he responded, “Yep, that’s the dude that saved my life.” I thought — well that’s a little melodramatic. But then last night, he contacted me and said his brother had called him after hearing the story, in tears. And he sent this link so that I could see who his brother is:
https://www.google.com/search?q=cornealious+anderson&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
And now I don’t think it was so melodramatic.
If you click that link, you’ll see that Anderson’s brother also caught a lucky break that led to a reformed, honorable life.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:08 pm
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Have to say there is a guy I went to school with who is now a highly respected judge, who to be blunt I figured would have ended up in the criminal justice system on the other side of the bench.
Just goes to show that 13 and 15 may not define a life.
Comment by Oneman Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:20 pm
Life changing moments are out there. I spiraled into depression in seminary. I had a huge paper due. I called the prof the night before and said “I’m going to be late”. “Unacceptable”, she said. “Read me what you’ve written so far”. “Now right two pages and answer this question. Call me back when you’re done”. We did that till 4 in the morning. She would not let me fail myself. The paper actually ended up being published. Her act of belief in me set me upright as if someone had actually picked me up and set me on my feet. I know it’s small comparatively. But I will be thankful to her till the day I die. Mr. Hampton believed in Quinton. He wouldn’t let him fail. He sacrificed for that conviction. We need more of this in our society. We need so much more.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:28 pm
My theology professor was also a grammar and spelling national socialist. I’m sure she is convulsing over the fact that I wrote “right” instead of “write”. Forgive me Prof. T. I caught it.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:31 pm
BTW Dusty Rhodes is an absolute favorite journalist of mine. She’s an amazing writer.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:32 pm
A wonderful, positive, uplifting story…for a change. I liked your experience too Honeybear.
Comment by Yiddishcowboy Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:33 pm
I needed that.
People matter.
Thank you.
Comment by Fred Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:42 pm
All of the laws, policies, and procedures don’t necessarily mean diddly.
But a dedicated, caring, and persistent individual can move mountains.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:47 pm
Thank you Dusty!
More. Like This.Please!
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 1:59 pm
Unfortunately the one size fits all mandate for teaching large groups of students causes many to fall through the cracks. How many who, but for a timely diagnoses and treatment of dyslexia, would have enjoyed a better life? Likewise for those whose hyperactivity got them pigeonholed in Special Education classes. In the 1950’s it was not uncommon to find left-handed students who were forced to learn cursive with a right hand. The bright spot here is that in most of our lives there is someone who cares enough to remedy these wrongs when they are discovered. The subject story is inspiring.
Comment by Keyser Soze Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 2:08 pm
–All of the laws, policies, and procedures don’t necessarily mean diddly.
But a dedicated, caring, and persistent individual can move mountains.–
I think you’re missing the point. In fact, laws, policies and procedures mean quite a bit. They can, if properly conceived and implemented, create a system where dedicated, caring and persistent individuals can work together and move generations of children instead of just one child.
That is the power of government.
Comment by Who Else Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 2:12 pm
=I think you’re missing the point.=
No, I am not.
The solutions to problems are not the state legislature. The “zero tolerance” policies adopted by boards of ed were much the result of pandering and knee-jerk politicians whipping up public sentiment particularly after Jonesboro and Columbine.
Now it is Lightford’s SB 100.
Laws are generally of the “one size fits all” nature, and in point of fact, it does not.
That is why it takes individuals and local solutions.
I didn’t miss the point, I caught it. I live it everyday as an educator.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 2:21 pm
As a Big Brother, I was joined with a kid who had 38 of those Office visits in the 8th grade. He went on to get a degree from college.
Little moments, big magic!
Comment by WhoKnew Wednesday, Sep 14, 16 @ 3:00 pm