For many kids in Detroit, school zones are danger zones

[begingri]

By Chastity Pratt Dawsey

Detroit Free Press Education Writer

First of two parts

In the dim early morning, Shantinique Skinner slips out the side door of her house and heads to school before the sun rises.The 18-year-old walks past a stretch of bungalows and colonials on her block, only three vacant homes stand between her house and the corner.

The next block has 11 abandoned houses. The blocks after that even more.

Shantinique walks 1.7 miles to Denby high school on Detroit's east side alone. Often in the dark.

She passes at least 88 vacant homes on her way there. And dozens of abandoned lots. She walks on blocks where the streetlights are busted or don't work. And she does it in a ZIP code that the U.S. Attorney's Office called one of Detroit's most deadly last year.

http://www.freep.com/article/2012041...sey=nav%7Chead

[Maof]

i read that this morning and my first thought was now everyone knows her route and shes alone. i'd really be looking in all directions now if i was her.

[DetroitTeacher]

I could have told everyone this a LONG time ago. MOST of my 1st hour students are late [[by 1/2 hour or more) because of horrid bus transportation. My kids that walk...well, I just hope that they make it to and from school safely.

[Chicago48]

I could have told everyone this a LONG time ago. MOST of my 1st hour students are late [[by 1/2 hour or more) because of horrid bus transportation. My kids that walk...well, I just hope that they make it to and from school safely.

http://youthcourtofdc.org/ [[Youth Court in DC)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/theroo...fVK_story.html

[Chicago48]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/theroo...fVK_story.html

[DetroitTeacher]

What would Youth Court Diversion do to help the kids? It's not other kids that are causing all of the crazy crap, it's weirdos in vacant buildings and adults trolling for kids walking alone. Most of my kids don't worry about other kids from school, it's the outsiders that cause the problems.

http://youthcourtofdc.org/ [[Youth Court in DC)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/theroo...fVK_story.html