'Hurtful and upsetting,' Students in Boston reflect on death of Tyre Nichols
BOSTON -- Students at Cristo Rey Boston High School in Dorchester are having important and positive discussions about the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols. Five Black police officers have been charged with his murder.
"It was really hurtful and upsetting," junior Michael Mello said.
Cristo Rey is a Catholic High School in Dorchester that exclusively serves families of limited economic resources. On Monday, their AP government class allowed for some open and honest discussion. Everything from the horrific bodycam video, to the arrest of the officers.
Junior London Sappleton still can't wrap his mind around the beating. "Now getting pulled over by any cop is going to have you nervous because this is a case of five Black officers beating up another Black civilian," Sappleton said.
The tragedy in Memphis has also confirmed what many of these students already believed.
"It helps bring awareness to the situation and help other students understand. Some people think it's a Black and White thing but in reality, it's a badge thing," Senior Deanna Miles-Langaigne said.
Students at Christo Rey Boston don't just want to have a discussion of what happened to Tyre Nichols but they want to move the discussion forward knowing their young voices and opinions matter.
"We have to stop spewing out hate. If we get on the internet and we always are bashing each other and bashing cops, it gets us nowhere. But if you yourself can change that then you can probably change other people," Miles-Langaigne said.
Teacher Daniel Hunt said he wants his students to walk away with the belief that they can affect positive change.
"As tragic and senseless as incidents like this are, I think to give up hope entirely would be a great loss. This is our next generation of leaders and thinkers," Hunt said.
Sappleton wants to see change across all policing. "I do have a lot of respect for police but there's also accountability that needs to be taken...I believe that they should put in their training to make better police officers," he said.
