Interview with Dr. Frazier by Michelle Harris

     We were instructed to interview a faculty member for our research question:  How does gang violence affect inner city schools in Washington, DC?  The first person we chose to interview was Dr. Frazier, a Political Science professor.  He seemed both humorous and also very helpful in answering our questions.  He presented a lot of good solutions and points about the reality of gang violence and how it affects kids which is that sometimes it is impossible to stop it.  Most kids are usually pressured or forced to join a gang or else they will get jumped either way.  So under those circumstances, kids will never fully be protected against gang violence.  Also, most kids are surrounded by gang members and have no real positive mentors or influences that encourage schooling, and unfortunately because of this, they do not take school very serious or get to learn the real benefits of what a good education can bring them.

     Dr. Frazier also mentioned how it is the mayor's responsibility to care about the community, and set a city wide agenda to lower the effects of gang violence.  I personally agree with this solution because if the mayor is not taking care of the community and shows no effort of concern, the community will not respect him nor will they support his cause.  Instead, they will rebel and are more prone to act violently feeling like they need to look out for themselves.  Especially young teenagers and kids.

Dr. Frazier also offered some positive solutions such as having youth groups and mentors or even giving kids field trips outside of school.  This is a good way to expose kids to something positive.  Sometimes people need to be taken outside of what they are used to and shown something different in order to realize that there is a better way.

     All in all, I completely agree with everything that Dr. Frazier said.  Kids need positive examples, and if they are surrounded by negativity, unfortunately they become a product of their environment.  There may never be a real solution to gang violence and how it affects kids, however, with some of the positive solutions that Dr. Frazier discussed, at least kids will know that there are alternatives and better choices for their life.  Hopefully they will be influenced to become leaders and not followers.