Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public state of emergency over the increase in juvenile crime and the opioid crisis in DC.
In the six-page order, Bowser described how the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to the problems of crime and drugs, and she detailed a plan to combat them. The order emphasized a need for a fast communal response.
Though these problems are present throughout DC, many Jackson-Reed faculty and students were unaware of the mayor’s declaration. Junior Samantha Shapiro said she “had no idea that there was a public state of emergency going on in DC.”
The trend of student unawareness about the crisis could stem from a lack of publicity. Since the order was put in place, there has been little media coverage, and the mayor has rarely spoken about it since.
But the mayor’s order detailed an alarming increase in juvenile crime. In the first nine months of 2023, juvenile arrests related to robbery have increased by 10 percent over the past year. Fifteen homicides committed by minors have occurred between January and October of this year—a 9 percent increase from 2022. In addition, 106 juveniles have been shot this year, 16 of them fatally.
Violence in DC has touched Jackson-Reed in recent years. Since 2019, three JR students have died as a result of gun violence—Breon Austin, Akira Wilson, and Mylaki Young.
Some JR students who don’t live in Ward 3 have experienced higher levels of crime in other parts of the city. “It’s so interesting coming to school at Jackson-Reed and living in Southeast because it’s like two different worlds,” said junior Marlee Dorsey.
Dorsey said that crime in her neighborhood “has gotten way worse. Among the youth, I hear stuff all the time, such as many instances of carjacking.”
Many JR students may be unaware of these issues because of the school’s location in predominantly white Ward 3. While the order is not specifically directed toward a single ward, DC History teacher Betty Mfalingundi said that a school like JR with a diverse range of students “can be a pretty stratified school community in that there are students here who have just vastly different experiences.”
Mfalingundi said it is important to consider economic disparities when addressing juvenile crime, “things like poverty, neglect, disfranchisement, discrimination, housing, especially lack of access to housing,” she said. “Those are all things that can cause crime to spike.”
Social Studies teacher Aaron Besser said that while crime and drugs are tough subjects to bring into an educational environment, it is important to talk about them in the appropriate way.
“It would make sense for a social studies or any sort of current events-oriented class to be able to talk about it, or maybe a health class, because [opioid use] is a health issue,” Besser said.
Though the state of emergency officially ended on November 28, its goal was not only to combat the issues but also gain the public’s attention.
But some District residents said they don’t see a state of emergency as the right approach. Senior Setina Dawit said that Bowser’s focus on the order is centered around “law enforcement and regulations, which, while necessary in some cases, often overlooks the fundamental need for a deeper understanding of the individuals behind the gun and the drug-related disruptions.”
Dawit said that “oour community should pivot towards initiatives that foster emotional intelligence, resilience, and positive mentorship to empower these individuals and address the systemic gaps that contribute to their challenges.”
