And before anyone makes any 4/20 weed comments, the date is the anniversary of the Columbine massacre.
Damn straight.
Fuck, I’ll host GED classes in the damn library if it keeps kids safe. I’ll share what skill with words I have, what life experience I have, and make sure that the kids in my community come home safe and stay that way.
Remember kids: Student walk-outs and sit-in protests are incredibly effective, because it means that the system is breaking down. Their authority only goes as far as you let it.
Don’t bring weapons to protests.
Don’t bring mace or tear gas to protests.
Get bottled water, at least six bottles per person for four hours.
Pack a first aid kit. Ace bandages, band-aids, water, dried gatorade (a scoop in a bottle of water helps prevent heat stroke due to dehydration), and sunscreen.
Keep emergency contacts on all cell phones, and if possible appoint someone in the group to be the designated emergency contact caller. Their job, if shit goes south, is to run to safety and call parents, call friends, call help, not just the police.
Don’t be afraid of Juvie. Your record is expunged at 18, if the crime isn’t something like murder.
I will rarely ever post something like this but PLEASE spread this
Hey there, it’s your local legal Mom Friend here! I just want to add to this really quickly…
If for any reason you are (god forbid) taken to a police station, put in a police car, or are in any other way taken into police custody and/or being questioned by police: DO NOT TALK TO THEM WITHOUT A PARENT/LEGAL GUARDIAN AND/OR ATTORNEY/ADVOCATE PRESENT!!!
If you are a minor, which I am assuming many of you will be, they should not be questioning you with out a legal guardian or attorney present in the first place. If you are not a minor, you still have the right to have an attorney present so PLEASE take advantage of that right.
Tell any officers trying to talk to you, calmly and firmly, that you are not answering any questions under any circumstances “until you have a lawyer or legal guardian with you in the room.” Repeat this as many times as you have to, as many times as it takes. And wait to say anything or answer any questions until your guardian or attorney is PRESENT. Not when “they’re on their way”, not if the police tell you “your mom said it was ok,” not “while we are waiting for them to pick up the phone.” NOT UNTIL THEY ARE PRESENT!!! Write it down on your hand or an index card if you have to so that you don’t forget: “I will not answer any questions or speak to anyone until I have a legal guardian or attorney present in the room with me.”
Police officers have a lot of leeway in these situations. They are allowed to lie to you or use other strategies to try and get you to talk to them without anyone else around. No matter how young you are or how “minor” the police are claiming your indiscretion may be, you still have rights and the police are legally obligated to respect them.
Please don’t let yourself be talked into a corner you can’t get out of!
The Perfect Scientist 