PEORIA, Ill. – The Peoria Federation of Teachers are saying in the wake of large juvenile fights earlier this week at the Heart of Illinois Fair, they’re no longer going to tolerate the treatment they get from juveniles in their classrooms.
A Facebook poster otherwise unidentified said they were going to write district Superintendent Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat and say they will no longer put up with being cussed out or aggressive actions toward teachers.
As for what can be done to help juveniles…
“It all goes back to reinforcement at home, that’s a big thing,” said Antwuan Banks, founder, Product of the Projects, to 25 News. “Kids can be in programs, kids can be in activities, there’s a lot of things we can do for the youth; but, we still need to re-enforce those things at home,”
Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria told WMBD earlier this week he wants to work on state legislation that would hold parents responsible for the violent actions of their children.
Fair Director Rob Murphy tells 25 News he and police try to predict what the juveniles might do, but nothing’s perfect.
“It’s the kids, it really is, but talking with the police, knowing what’s going on in town, working with the community, it always helps,” said Murphy. Keeping those lines of communication open is the big thing.”
Police arrested four juveniles after fights broke out earlier this week at the fair, but they were released to their parents.
There has been a spate of juvenile-related crimes this summer, and several fights.
(You can listen to Chief Echevarria’s comments on juvenile crime during WMBD’s Week in Review program, airing Saturday at 12pm, and Sunday at 7am and 5pm.)
