So, are you living in denial thinking Ferguson-related violence is only for Chicago, St. Louis and other big cities?
Think again.
A woman driving by Champaign, Illinois’ Centennial High School Thursday found something she wasn’t expecting: A protest originally organized on school grounds by three teachers had grown out of hand. Roughly one hundred (some say as many as two hundred) students left the school grounds as the “protest” spilled into the street in front of the school in this city of about 70,000. They were shouting and acting like a miniature Ferguson mob.
The elderly motorist, completely unaware that the gaggle of students in the street were organized and “marching”, found herself in the middle of the group who didn’t yield the right of way as jaywalkers. The woman panicked as the students began yelling at her, wildly gesturing and screaming. The high school young adults began pummeling her car, breaking her mirror, and one or more windows in her car.
At this point, the woman – no doubt fearing for her safety – accelerated to get clear of the mob, hitting some of the “protesting” jaywalkers, further exacerbating the situation.
Ironically, Champaign police were on the scene watching the entire event unfold.
The motorist was not ticketed.
CHAMPAIGN (News-Gazette) — Police have put out a call for additional information on Thursday’s demonstration at Centennial High School and the incident involving a car traveling through the student protest.
About 100 to 150 students left the high school after participating in a “die in” to protest the recent grand jury decisions not to indict white police officers in the killings of two black men, Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Eric Garner in New York City.
After lying down in the hallways, many student demonstrators left the building and stood outside. Some of them walked into Cresecent Drive in front of the school. As that occurred, a vehicle travelled through the crowd.
At least one of the students struck the vehicle’s window and caused damage to the glass, according to police, who were called to the scene.
Champaign police identified an 18-year-old student who was responsible for damaging the vehicle and the student was initially taken into custody for criminal damage to property and mob action.
Some of the comments are priceless, including those from witnesses:
150 students decided to skip an hour of class, but only 8 were dedicated enough to express their opinions on their own time. At least 1 of those 8 students broke a windshield. This was the proudest moment for the school principal.
I just lost all respect for Greg Johnson. This is what makes you proud? I want to see these three teachers disciplined for organizing this protest that put my child in harm’s way! My daughter called me today scared to leave the classroom due to the mob action taking place outside. Is this what you are teaching your students? Maybe you should teach them to obey the law, listen to the police, and not try to grab their weapons! If you follow those guidelines, you won’t get shot!
And making signs saying “black lives matter”? Really? Who said that they didn’t? Blacks on black violence is much more prevalent than white on black violence let alone police violence. Perhaps the energy used in this demonstration could have been used to explore why this is the case.
Mam, what are you thinking? High school should absolutely be a place where sensitive topics like the Brown case should be discussed academically. It should never be a place where 150 students disrupt the workings of the school, causing fear and alarm to other students who are trying to go about their day in a productive manner. The fact that the protest you organized got out of hand to the point where hundreds of students left class, took to the streets and caused the police to be called and a student arrested is shameful. And please stop trying to blame the driver for all this. The last thing you expect while driving is to be surrounded by angry people walking in the roadway (that’s where the cars are supposed to drive, remember?)
Apparently there were no major injuries to students in the incident with the car attempting to pass on the street. Most likely the woman driving the car was terrified to find herself surrounded by a crowd of angry chanting adolescents in the street who hit her car as she tried to drive past the crowd. It is unfortunate that she didn’t realize that the street was impassable and didn’t turn to avoid the crowd before being surrounded. She probably had the erroneous notion that the students would politely step aside to let her pass on the public roadway.
Why do school teachers support demonstrators on behalf of African-Americans who commits a crime and is shot, or injured for resisting arrest the police and assume the police are immediately deemed guilty and the criminal is deemed innocent before a full investigation is undertaken? .What else are these teachers doing in their classrooms? Are the students learning anything?
This is why Johnnie can’t read nor write nor do much math and American students lag behind much of the industrial world in academic tests.
My children are not sent to this school to have political views and misconceptions pushed upon them by the district. My children are there to be educated. It is mine and my wife’s job to teach show them the many choices they have in life and to let them decide, not the school. I have a son who is somewhat introverted. He was scared to death from being around what was happening. No student, either black or white, should ever be make to feel uncomfortable at school.
Finally, as many police officers have been told numerous times “my taxes pay your salary”. This is the same for teachers. My tax money is not there for you to push your political agenda or to decide what my childeren should be believing. You have crossed the line, my children will not be going to Unit 4 schools any longer. We will either go private or make every effort to move to better district.Good luck with the new school vote next year……..not going to happen now.
Dear Kid,
Your teachers did you no favor. Whether or not they led you astray remains to be seen. But if this is how you choose to continue to behave, you will fail in life. You were in the street. You broke the law. Breaking the law is never justified. Ever.
At the very least, you pounded on the women’s car. This would be perceived as threatening to most people. She was outnumbered by over 100 people. You broke her window. Do you think such action makes you respected? Does it get you whatever it is you want out of this protest? No. It makes you out to be a thug to be feared.
If you don’t like some of the laws in some far off place, work to change them. Write letters. Make phone calls. When you are old enough, vote and run for office. Educate yourself to become a police officer. Effect change. Turning into a thug won’t do that.
You can’t effect change by cutting class. You need every bit of education you can get because right now you are on the wrong path. Keep going and you will end up in jail as you should when you break the law.
No one cares what color you are anymore. It is your character that counts. Being a thug gets you no where. This isn’t the 60’s anymore. Don’t mention the civil rights movement to me. The future is now. Do not use issues from the 60’s to justify you not doing what you need to do now. Obey the law. Get an education. Effect change if you feel the need in a lawful manner. Grow up and be the worthwhile person you can be.
Stop making excuses.
And I thought our schools sucked over here in Danville!
That’s some real winners you have there calling themselves teachers.
They should all be standing in unemployment line!
Why do people lie so much this not true at all #EyeWitness
Ms., your schools do suck. The teacher organized a die-in which should of been the first 15 minutes of their 8th hour. The students by them selves to protest. It wasn’t the teachers fault. So keep that crap to yourself. Thanks.
It was the teachers’ fault as it got out of hand if it was only supposed to be a fake “die-in” for 15 minutes, Ms. low information C-student, why go into the street if it wasn’t a means of escalating the whole mis-guided event?
She ran us over case closed and since when did 20 something become elderly? Lol lost me with that one
You were in the street stupid!! If you dont want to get ran over stay on the sidewalk!! And it doesnt matter how old she was, you were in the street..illegally jaywalking, illegally impeding traffic flow, technically attempting kidnapping( I know its a stretch, but you were trying to detain a person without their consent), illegally leaving school during school hours, causing damage to personal property, causing fear to an individual(also known as terrorism) and just a few other things but going to stop there, I think you get the picture!!
The last paragraph of the last comment absolutely nails it.
Kind of related to this whole thing as well as the gentle giant: Why do blacks seem to always want to walk down the middle of the street? I’ve been driving through black neighborhoods on multiple occasions, to find some of them walking down the middle of the street, when there is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. If I remember correctly, the whole reason Darren Wilson stopped to engage the gentle giant was because the guy was walking down the middle of the street. Where does this mindset come from?
The bangers fear getting bushwhacked on the sidewalks, they are too close to doorways and other hiding places. Of course there’s no cover in the middle of the street but everybody knows that bangers are poor shots.
Dear students, you’re lucky you weren’t just a little more violent and that your target victim wasn’t a CCL holder.
Violent mob? Check.
Disparity of force? Check.
Smashing car and threatening occupant? Check.
Ability. Opportunity. Jeopardy.
You would have had your ‘die in’ alright!
A ccl holder inside a large metal box (car) as the elderly lady was would be well advised to do just as she did. Accelerate through the mob and do not stop until you’re well clear and safe.
Immediately call 9-1-1 .
Only draw and fire if your vehicle becomes immobile
You sound stupid lol
stupid how?
Glad my kids are out of school.
Now I just have to worry about the grandkids.
What’s up with these school teachers and administrators? Letting kids off school grounds to protest a death of a robber who tried to disarm a policeman and kill him?
They got a bunch of (black) teaches and administrators who refuse to debunk this “hands up, don’t shoot” bullshit? How about teaching “pants up, don’t loot” instead?
If I had a kid in that school, I’d be raising holy hell with the school board. If that was the education your kids are getting, they’re doomed to succeed at anything except a fast track to America’s thug culture and all the benefits like death and prison that it rewards its participants.
Sam
Another Democratic mayor
I get fed up with the misuse of the word “democratic”, the mayor is demoCAT, but the mayor of Champaign had nothing to do with this, as far as I know, the TEACHERS allowed this moronic event to “happen” if they were not completely responsible for the whole fracas. The teachers ought to be disciplined, fined and or fired for allowing / instigating this riotous behaviour by misguided wanna-be thugs, especially if they organized this mess.
…oops “demoCRAT” …(above)
The teachers didn’t “instigate” anything. The police having too much control and no responsibility in cities across the country instigated this. You don’t “happen upon” a protest, with students holding signs, teachers standing nearby to facilitate, and police in the vicinity and think that it was just 200 kids being stupid and standing in the street because they felt like it. Even then, you still don’t accelerate your vehicle. No, they may not have had the right of way, but they were still pedestrians.
So Claire you mean to tell me that a thug who robbed a store then assaulted an officer and tried to take his weapon and then got what he rightfully deserved, instigated 3 dumb ass teachers to start a “protest” that ended in vandalism and harassment is OK? And it’s OK the principle condoning it is OK? No matter what your views on Ferguson are wrong is wrong period. Good forbid someone take responsibility for THEIR actions….ever stop and think maybe that’s what’s wrong with society always blaming someone else for our actions? DUMBASS
All I can say is be ready folks. Keep your situational awareness turned on and carry your firearm.
Chicago violence has been coming south for awhile now. Sooner or later it will come to a town where you live, just give it time
So, where or what is those teachers’ names and addresses to send a ” thank you ” note ?
On Tuesday Dec. 2nd at the Pontiac GSL meeting we just talked about how important it is to have “Situation Awareness” even here in Central Illinois. This story is a sad example of what can happen when those in authority (teachers) are allowed to influence the sheep (students) with their own misinformed ideals. The Grand Jury found no cause to indict. Period !!
This episode set a dangerous precident: teachers (i.e., government employees) sponsored and organized a protest using other people’s kids that destroyed private property and endangered private citizens.
The Mayor, the School Board, the Centennial Principal and every teacher with a priori knowledge of this episode needs to be held to account. These clowns need to be fired and prosecuted.
… and, there is this tiny issue that they are completely ignoring the facts of the Ferguson shooting.
the teachers that started this protest,should be fired and never able to teach . was a stupid idea.
Probably something called tenure, which means “I can do whatever I want and not get fired.”
If you were there, you would know what really happened. It’s funny hoe things change when the news gets a hold of it
Impeach the principal and any of his followers. Absurd behavior especially on the schools time, not to mention the parents time. Those children don’t belong to the school
Why not? Are they not allowed to have a voice? Are they not worthy of an education?
Claire,
The “education” they are “receiving” is misguided anarchy to furthur the “low / no information educators'” community (communist) activism. Michael Brown was a criminal who strong-armed a robbery at a convenience store, happened to be confronted by a policeman who just wanted him to walk on the sidewalk (before he learned of the strong-armed robbery) instead of in the street. Brown attacked the officer to try and steal the officer’s firearm. Michael Brown would have killed the officer had he “won out” and got the firearm. His next robbery he would have used that gun to kill anyone who tried to stop him. The officer, by protecting himself also protected Michael Brown’s future victims. Michael Brown had no respect for laws and was raised to be a thug that took whatever he wanted and “to hell with anyone who stood in his way”.
and…. this coming week Central High School is planning the same thing.
That would be a good day to keep your little crumb-cruncher at home.
As they should, because this is a national issue that is threatening their very lives. Mike Brown was 17. There are students younger than he attending Central.
You are ignoring the facts. Mike Brown charged the police officer. He tried to take the ifficer’s gun. The officer had a right to protect himself.
The teachers used government facilities, used school time, and led students in an activity which resulted in destruction of private property and the endangerment of private individuals. This was a crime. The Principal, teachers and students involved need to be prosecuted.
The facts are that only ONE of several bullets fired into Brown were sustained at close range. One autopsy showed that the others were fired from a much farther distance. Including the bullet that was in his arm, which indicated that his hands were up, yes? How was he charging and really threatening Wilson from 153 feet away? Not to mention that Mike Brown was UNARMED. There were too many conflicting stories of the event to argue that Mike Brown charged the officer unless you were there yourself. Understand that I am not claiming to know what took place, as I wasn’t present, but I am merely repeating what some information has already proven. Also, the teachers did not force this idea and these actions upon the students. The students came to the teachers with the idea, the teachers merely supervised. I find it so hard to believe that this “frightened, elderly driver” had no clue whatsoever what was going on when she drove into a group of students and endangered them. Even then, last time I checked, it was illegal to intentionally drive a car into people. Unless your argument is that these students charged her car specifically with the intent of causing harm before she could get away, she too was in the wrong. Finally, how is it that police were on the scene “watching the entire event unfold”, as stated in the above article, and nothing was done to control the students? Are they corrupt and deserving of prosecution too?
The teachers are responsible for the students. They should have said “no”. People (including the students) were endangered because the teachers did not do the job they are paid to do. this was done on school property during school hours. There us no excuse for their conduct. These teachers need to be prosecuted.
As far as Mike Brown. First you argue that the cop is guilty. Then you say there are conflicting stories and can’t know what happened. There us a concept in this country – innocent until PROVEN guilty. You all are so anxious to protest and you don’t even know why. You are being manipulated.
Clair…..I do pray that you are just an ornery instigator and do not truly believe what you are saying. Please take your blinders off and see the truth!!!!
The school board should fire the teachers and the principle. Horrible example of leadership. Great idea to further divide the community. You adults are the problem.
Yeah the dumb ass kids wouldn’t get out of the street! Hello? Theres a car coming MOVE Out of the way! Instead they assault it…
Kids. Lol there was more than 1 there were 150 and if she couldn’t see 150 so called wild students walking down a CLEAR street the news left that part out too then she shouldn’t have been driving in the first place and last time I checked innocent nice elderly women don’t get out of a car yelling fuck you
Why were the “low information students” in the street? That’s easy, …to escallate the situation, bring out the sNews reporters so they could bask in their minute or two of “fame”, …HELLO! what they are “protesting” was illegality, Michael Brown was a CRIMINAL THUG that tried to steal a firearm from a police officer doing his appointed rounds, trying to keep the streets clear of CRIMINALS like Michael Brown. Had Brown overpowered officer Wilson, he surely would have killed him and then have a firearm for his next holdup. Michael Brown was a MENACE to all of society, even more so if he was armed with a pistol!
“Claire” is self-identifying as clueless.
“because this is a national issue that is threatening their very lives”
Compared to black on black homicides, black hoodlums getting shot dead when they try to kill or gravely injure innocents is a non-issue, sugar pants. What, 83% of blacks are killed by other blacks. Hell, the Klan almost couldn’t ask for a better plan to kill blacks. Well, I suppose they could ask for blacks to kill one another off at a 100% rate of black on black, but…
“No, they may not have had the right of way, but they were still pedestrians.”
Pedestrians quit being pedestrians when they start ripping off mirrors and breaking out windows of a person’s car in a violent and tumultuous manner (look that big word up if you need to, Claire. Sorry for using big words for you.) At that point, they are thugs and thugs get slugs in my world – or run over.
“Are they not worthy of an education?”
They are worthy of a much higher quality of education that they are getting currently it seems. You though seem like a product of that piss poor education.
“The facts are that only ONE of several bullets fired into Brown were sustained at close range. One autopsy showed that the others were fired from a much farther distance. Including the bullet that was in his arm, which indicated that his hands were up, yes? How was he charging and really threatening Wilson from 153 feet away? Not to mention that Mike Brown was UNARMED. There were too many conflicting stories of the event to argue that Mike Brown charged the officer unless you were there yourself. ”
153 feet? Where in the hell are you pulling this out of? Your ass, perhaps? And your interpretation of the autopsy results… is that like outcome based education where everyone feels happy about themselves regardless of whether they are right or not?
Sugar britches, you should go learn about the legal use of deadly force and the conditions where it’s legal to do so. You’ll discover you are incompetent in your current state of ignorance.
Sam
I wish people would get their facts straight before writing something about a situation. This was a peaceful protest and the “elderly” woman looked like she was in her 20s from the pictures and videos taken. She didn’t even try to slow down and was flipping them off as she drove through. She could’ve slowed down, turned off that street or stopped to give them time to move but she didn’t she just drove straight through them. Our kids opinions and feelings matter and we need to help them learn how to express themselves peacefully which they were trying to do. The police were called after she drove through and hit some of the kids. Last I checked hitting a pedestrian was against the law. Peaceful protests are our right. I commend the teachers and principal for allowing the kids to express themselves instead of ignoring their feelings.
The “low information” students can “express themselves” inside the classrooms they were supposed to be in while school was “in session”. The “protest” was ill-conseived at best, so you say it was the students that brought it up to the so-called teachers, sounds like the inmates are over-running the assylam.
IF you are such a “concerned parent” why is it you are not angry at all involved in this ridiculous activity which allowed students out of the classrooms they were supposed to be in to be in the street where the were not supposed to be? Read the facts about the Brown incident without your liberal hatred towards theose patrolling the streets to try to keep them safe for all. Michael Brown was a menace to all of society with a chip on his shoulder toward anyone in his way. Had he gotten the officers firearm, he would be much more dangerous to society, he is the very type of person the gun-haters want disarmed or debarred from having firearms.
As a taxpayer, I want the teachers names! I have rights also. Don’t make me go through the FOIA process.
Hear, hear!
Name the teachers. Name the Principal.
I have a right to know how my tax dollars are being spent. I have s right to know who is responsible for endangering students and at least one motorist.
No cover ups. No lost emails. No excuses.
Name the teachers!
Everybody Has Their Own View Of Life But Little Do You Guys Know Is The Real Story Because If You Were There You Would Have Seen That The Protests Did Not Beat Up This Womans Car For No Reason What Would You Do If A Car Hit You ?
I wouldn’t have been in the street, Bc, their only reason to enter the street instead of “protesting” on the sidewalk was to escallate their actions annd intimidate anyone that was trying to drive by the school, minding their own business.
As a student that participated in this protest I would like to say a few things.
-We did not participate in this protest to skip class. We participated because we actually feel strongly about the recent police brutality.
-NOBODY hit her car or yelled at her or did anything to her UNTIL she spead up an hit students. More than one student was struck. We were beating on her car and yelling for her to slow down. Not to mention she flipped us all the bird when she drove off.
– Do NOT tell us students to keep quiet because we “don’t know our facts” when you clearly do not know yours. None of you were there. None of you know what really happened.
No one is telling anyone to keep quiet.
The teachers are responsible for the students while they are at school. It doesn’t matter if the students wanted to protest. The teachers had the right and obligation to say “no”. The teachers should never have let this happen, let alone allow the students to leave the school grounds. The teachers are responsible for this episode and should be punished.
As far as recent police brutality – would you be referring to Ferguson or New York? I’m betting that you were not present at either of those events – so you don’t really know what happened. Are you sure your information about purported “police brutality” is accurate???
As far as whether the motorist or students were the aggressors in the street. The students should not have been in the middle of the street.
Please ms. SP, keep on spewing your illiterate diatribe, it makes for good reading for those of us that want to ubderstand your mis-guided beliefs, it just shows the world your true (lack of) intellega
oops…understand….
…true (lack of) intellegence. (above)
For all of you that think you just somehow know what happened you were not there, you don’t know what happened simple as that. I was there and over half of the stuff on this article isn’t true. That isn’t even the car she was driving in the picture, she was driving a dodge that’s a Toyota. The teachers did not tell the students to go outside they got up and went outside. But yet you want to blame the teachers, saying that they put your child in danger but yet it was your child that decided to go outside nobody forced them to walk out of the building. So just think about it, how do you think a few teachers are going to stop 100+ kids. Chances are you weren’t there and you don’t know what happened so you can’t just blame someone for supposedly doing something if you weren’t even there.
So it was strictly the low-information students that deccided to disrupt traffic by blocking the roadway, they should all be charged with truancy, inciting to riot, blocking the roadway, and pure stupidity.
The national community (communist) organizers (agitators) have you brainwashed, Anony, read the facts, …both the events were escallated by the perps resistance to lawfully given orders from the police.
Where was all you people when O.J Simpson was acquitted of murder?
While I was not part of the protest at Centennial that is my high school. I am appalled at the falsehood of this article. You are victimizing a woman who ON VIDEO, drove into a protest that was walking around her and not having any affiliation with her until she began driving forward. Students were yelling to stop because she was hitting them, they hit her car to get her to stop. There was a CRACK in her windshield, it was not shattered and that’s the only damage. This woman came out of her car yelling many vulgar words at students and giving them “the finger”. The police were involved controlling the situation not “watching”. So please next time you attempt writing a NEWS story, check your news to make sure your facts are accurate. The shattered window you have displayed above is not an accurate depiction of the woman’s damaged car. Two wrongs do not make a right, but please take a step back, drop your opinions, and look at the facts. I’ve been at Centennial for 4 years and never felt endangered by anything, we have a safe environment and excellent administrators. This event is in no way relatable to the severity of the events occurring in Ferguson. It was a high school event that ended badly, but no one was severely injured. So drop the “what ifs” and opinions, look at the REALITY, and the outcome and please stop bashing a school that many children love.
Thank you lol finally somebody who understands what really happened instead of all these simple minded adults trying their hardest to get good teachers fired