Another teen death over the weekend has added to a tally this school year unseen in Prince George's County.
Although county crime statistics are down, six Prince George's County schoolchildren have been slain this year—some while walking to school in random acts and others due to gang violence.
In response, Bob Ross, president of the Prince George's County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) wants to bring back the national campaign—"It's 10 p.m. Do you know where your children are?"
"There are some simple things that can be done—that parents can do" to make sure their children are not the ones caught up in violence, Ross said.
"Make sure your children are home at 10 p.m.," he said. "You can text them, email them, tweet at them–whatever it takes to make sure your child is home studying."
He said the campaign is mostly geared toward teens—middle school and high school aged students who still crave attention from their parents.
"What I’m hearing from teenagers is that they are still looking for guidance," he said, after talking to students at Suitland High School on Saturday. "Parents are too busy working getting the latest cars and keeping up with the Joneses."
Ross, the single parent of four children, said he understands it can be hard to find time in a busy schedule, but that each parent should take at least 15 minutes to talk to his or her children and find out about their day. Parents should also make time to spend a weekend with their child as well, he said.
"Even for those parents that don’t have a lot of money, it doesn’t cost anything to go to the park or to a free museum," Ross said.
The campaign isn't new and Prince George's County already has a curfew for children and teens. It's 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday.
"I think parents have forgotten how to spend time with their children," Ross said. "Let’s turn the TV set off as a unit and talk a little bit. That’s what they can do. It’s simple."
Tell Us: Do you think parent involvement curbs the behavior of teens or do you think it's an issue that goes beyond what can be done at home or school? Are modern technologies making it worse or better to keep tabs on your teens?
