The story takes place in the United States, in Louisiana, and the solution of this father is personal involvement. Michael LaFitte is a 40-year-old entrepreneur, association leader and father of a teenage girl attending Southwood High School in a popular area of the town of Shreveport. An establishment which in September experienced an unprecedented wave of violence: a dozen general fights, and 23 young people arrested by the police in 72 hours. Everything was filmed, shared on social networks, and commented with horror on the news channels.
So one Sunday, Michael LaFitte gathered at his home four friends, all fathers of children attending this high school, to try to find a solution to the problem. “After three hours, he told ABC channel, we came out with the idea that we had to go ourselves, personally, on campus, forming a sort of brigade, to show young people, especially boys, that adult men from their family, from their neighborhood, are there and look at them.“
DADS ON DUTY: After a violent week of fighting at a Louisiana high school, parents knew something had to change. So, a group of dads decided to show up not just for their kids – but for the whole student body – to help maintain a positive environment. @SteveHartmanCBS has more. pic.twitter.com/Uux3qx48sd
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) October 22, 2021
Thus was born the brigade of dads, Dads on duty, that we could translate by Dads on duty. For six weeks now, they have been stationed every day at the entrance of the establishment, to welcome the students, smile at the most timid, tease the strong heads, but also help or be an attentive ear in the event of a problem. “The goal is to assume our status, not only as fathers, but as male role models, because some students no longer have a father, or are in conflict with him, so we are showing them that another link is possible. “And it works. Since they are there, in the opinion of all, students, teachers, management, the mood has changed. Not a fight for a month and a half, and minor tensions.
In the meantime, other fathers have joined the movement. They are now a dozen, all also work in parallel and organize themselves to always be five at the same time in high school. On TV, CBS, ABC, Fox News, reports on their squad have replaced those on assaults between students and their Facebook page is overwhelmed with thanks. “Now, concludes Michael LaFitte, our goal is to extend this to all schools, across the country. “And why not also inspire others.
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