Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
“The actions of wannabe baby-gangs at Sioux Valley wanted someone to know that they prefer despair over hope. They prefer destruction over progress.”
— From a Sound Off in today’s Brandon Sun
We can’t blame the person who wanted to express his or her frustration over the events last week at Sioux Valley Dakota Nation for wanting to remain anonymous through a Sound Off submission rather than a signed Letter to the Editor.
And we’re pleased to be able to offer such a service to our readers. When dealing with gangs — especially the young, unpredictable “wannabe baby-gangs” mentioned in the Sound Off — it would be foolish to put yourself at risk.
That’s why we have authorities such as police for.
But other authority figures at Sioux Valley — parents of vandals and gangsters in particular — are failing to do their jobs. They are failing to provide safe and nurturing environments, and failing to protect their communities by allowing their teenage offspring to roam at will at night.
The parents and guardians of these children and youth are also failing to respect their neighbours and communities by not maintaining proper control and supervision.
At least we have police as a last resort, but the situation never has to get that far if the root causes are addressed at home.
In Sioux Valley, a half-hour drive west of Brandon, the Sun reported in Saturday’s paper that a number of youth have been arrested and staff are scrambling to set up temporary classrooms after damage done by vandals shut down the 90-student elementary school.
It’s believed the school was broken into between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on May 18. Dakota Ojibway Police Service Insp. Marc Saindon said a number of Sioux Valley youths have been arrested as a result, with further arrests pending.
Residents say a number of buildings were tagged with gang-related graffiti as part of the same vandalism spree, including the school daycare and three trailer homes.
The red spray paint graffiti included the letters “MOB” which stands for Most Organized Brothers, an aboriginal street gang.
While it’s easy to blame the vandalism on a lack of programs and activities for reserve youth, what type of programs are offered 24-7? It comes down to proper parenting. And if people can’t see the problems created by bad parents, then they should have a long, hard look in the mirror before becoming parents themselves.
But that won’t fix the situation at hand.
What will help kids with troubled home lives are good schools.
But now Sioux Valley has none.
In October 2006, when the Sioux Valley High School closed due to black mould and with nowhere else to go, the former Fleming School in Brandon was reopened and students were bused in daily.
While there was an outcry at first to have the high school rebuilt on the reserve, having the students taught off-reserve saw graduation rates rise and the possibility for more direct links with Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College.
In 2010, Brandon School Division sold the school building to the Dakota nation, which renamed it Sioux Valley High School.
And until the elementary school is repaired — it has been closed since May 18 — the young students will use portable classrooms outside the school, makeshift classrooms in band offices and some older students will be bused to Brandon to use four vacant classrooms at Sioux Valley High School in Brandon’s west end.
Some might call those latter students the lucky ones.
We hope they get a glimpse of the better opportunities that await them in high school.
And maybe, just maybe, those who most need to will pick up the slack left by their lax parents.
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition May 28, 2012
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“The actions of wannabe baby-gangs at Sioux Valley wanted someone to know that they prefer despair over hope. They prefer destruction over progress.”
— From a Sound Off in today’s Brandon Sun
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“The actions of wannabe baby-gangs at Sioux Valley wanted someone to know that they prefer despair over hope. They prefer destruction over progress.”
— From a Sound Off in today’s Brandon Sun
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Posted by:Bill the Needle
May 28, 2012 at 8:51 AM
As you say, parents of these vandals are failing to do their jobs.