Teacher Finds Lessons in Ferguson Tension

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has ordered additional members of the National Guard to Ferguson, where violent protests broke out following the grand jury's decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson. They will provide security so local police can provide more protection.



Some businesses were little more than charred husks along a stretch  of West Florissant Avenue, and other businesses had items strewn about and numerous windows broken Tuesday morning. Authorities said 14 people had protest-related injuries. Sixty-one people were arrested in Ferguson, many for burglary and trespassing, and protests in the Shaw neighborhood of St. Louis led to 21 arrests.



Sara Barnes lives in St. Louis and teaches at St. Louis Christian Academy, which has some students from North County. She spoke to Mitch Myers and St. Louis native A.J. Martin on Electric 96.9 Tuesday morning, and said that things were pretty calm at that time. She said some Metrolink mass transit has been re-routed, but she hasn't heard any warnings to citizens about staying home.



"There's a lot of people still going to work, I mean everyone with a regular day job that hasn't been cancelled like a school. Most St. Louisans are going to work today," Barnes said.



Schools were dismissed as soon as the city knew a Grand Jury decision had been reached, which basically gives students an extra-long Thanksgiving break.



Barnes was asked how she discusses this with her high school students, and she said the situation can't be ignored, and there are teachable moments with them.

 

Barnes said, "Especially with my older upper-classmen, we have had some respectful conversations about it in class, we have a lot of varying viewpoints. You know, my goal is to help those students look at both sides of the story with clear eyes. In other words, not be told what to believe about a certain situation, but to make up their own mind about it."



Some clergymen and about 100 demonstrators blocked intersections in the area briefly Tuesday morning, but there were no arrests, and things have been much calmer so far.