Ferguson unrest is taking its toll on education

[Sherman A1]

FERGUSON • With continued school cancellations in three districts, teachers spent Tuesday trying to overcome the heartache they’ve felt since chaos erupted over Michael Brown’s shooting death. Many of them did it by reaching out to their students. Others cleaned up the mess in Ferguson.

Dozens of teachers organized learning activities at public libraries and in a church hall, attracting children from throughout the Ferguson-Florissant School District, where the start of the school year has been delayed by more than a week so far. Two hundred more cleaned up debris on West Florissant Avenue, where protesters and police had clashed the night before.

And inside school cafeterias, some worked to provide free lunches to children, most of whom rely on school for something to eat.

“As teachers, we want to build up our community, not tear it down,” said Remy Bryant, a Jennings High School biology teacher wearing gloves and filling a trash bag. She was cleaning up with about 200 teachers, principals and staff — nearly everyone who works for the Jennings district.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/ferguson-unrest-is-taking-its-toll-on-education/article_36dc4c18-975b-5794-bbaf-3a9ebdef5e3c.html