ALBA High School

Mr. Samuel’s Monologue, 05/30/02

Mr. Samuel was a very big, very strong black man who was the director of ALBA HIGH when I taught there.

There had been a disruption in the school routine. Some student had stolen one of the teacher’s cameras and taken some porno shots with it so Mr. Samuel held a “lock down” for several hours in my classroom–which was the biggest classroom in the school and would comfortably hold all the students at one time.

He talked for a long time. First he told the story of one of his ex-students. Then he just talked using only key words and leaving out all the unnecessary verbiage.

His talk was sincere, terribly effective and like a poem to me.

Mr. Samuel:

“Chris was a good guy, a wrestler and football halfback.

He lost it. Started selling. Using.

Juvenile Hall–snapped!

(using policeman’s voice) “Looks like you killed your girlfriend and baby.”

Doing life, and the other young guy too.

Life?

Over.

Follow the rules–be respectful–play the game.

What counts most is how you act when Mom ain’t around–what counts is everyday behavior–we all make mistakes–what counts is bounce back–move forward.

I help you move forward–take pride in that–BIG TIME.

Staff–strengths and weaknesses–nobody perfect–try your hardest to do the right thing.

Every day. Every minute.

Cameras–watching everywhere. You’ll get caught. Everybody talks.

Choices. What you say and do–consequences!

Having fun–

Click! Click! Handcuffs!

Can happen to anybody anytime.

Your dad–your uncles: black, brown, white, Asian.

In the jail. No talking. Get in line. Get a ride to the hole.

Spray.

Sticks.

Boom!

Locked up.

Make bed. Tuck in sheets. Eat. Breakfast. Get in line.

Tuck your shirt in.

Get in Line. Go to work. Make your 25 cents an hour.

Lunch. Boom. Back to work. Phone call. “Hello, Mom. How you doing?”

10 o’clock. Lights out. Scared of your cellmate ‘cause they might jump on you.

Count time. Six times a day. Big–small–pretty–ugly.

If you can’t make it here at ALBA you’ll be in jail.

Treated like animals in prison.

Quiet, nice here. Do class work.

Whatever happens here gets around real fast.

Word’s out. Big time. Camera stolen. Photos of body parts.

Self control. Common sense says “NO”.

Juvenile Hall.

Jail.

ATTITUDE makes it ghetto!

You don’t have this–don’t have that–MAKE IT WORK!

Why is La Jolla different from ALBA?

Not because they full of white folks and money–because they have a better Attitude.

Monkey in a suit doing tricks still a monkey!

You affect somebody else every day.

(policeman’s voice) “Just a black girl! Just a Mexican! Told ya–that’s what they ALWAYS do!”

Best think you can do is the right thing.

Black skin. Brown skin, White skin.

Do the RIGHT thing!

Once you in Juvenile Hall, you’re an animal.

Sad.

Bottom line–you treated like an animal.

Last hug. You gotta go.

You can be here doing right or on your way!

Word gets out real fast about what’s happening–good and bad stuff included!

It gets out.

Hard core–used up on the streets.

Smells like yesterday and looks sad.

You’re valuable–if you weren’t you wouldn’t be here.

Some countries, you mess up, you’re out.

They beat you.

While you’re still free, be the best you can be!

Take the trash out!

Do the dishes without being told!”

Tomasito, 2008

...