Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― It's a list that reads out like an attendance sheet -- 20 Chicago public school students killed this year by gunfire. And Tuesday there was a loud call for change.

Hundreds of students and community leaders poured into the Thompson Center in the Loop demanding more gun control.

Students took a stand against violence Tuesday after one of their classmates was gunned down in front of the school over the weekend.

Hundreds of students took part in an anti-violence rally in front of the Thompson Center in an effort to turn up the heat on lawmakers to force a change in gun laws.

Simeon students came in buses, in commemoration of their classmate, Chavez Clarke, who was shot dead in front of the school after leaving Saturday classes this weekend.

"I received a number of calls and e-mails saying that (students) wanted to go to state and local legislators, because this type of violence has to stop amongst our peers," said Simeon principal Tamara Sterling.

"They're starting a movement," Sterling added. "I'm extremely proud of them."

"When the youth get involved and show that this is a true concern to us, that change is evident," added student Ronnie Mosley.

Clarke was in school on Saturday while working to make up missed credits so he could graduate on time.

"He was a cool guy; real smart," said Jeremiah Winston. "I'd always see him at the library with his brothers playing chess."

Two teenagers face murder charges in connection with Clarke's death. Samuel Hill, 17, is being held without bail, and Ronald Little, 19, is being held on $1 million bond.

Shoes and desks rested in front of the event's podium in a representation of their lost classmates. More than 20 of them have been shot and killed this school year.

"I believe too many people have died," said student Cordaro Thomas. "We're supposed to be the future. For us to be dying--it's not good at all."

The students joined community activists, parents and politicians in the fight to get state legislators to pass stiffer gun laws.

The governor suggested protesters take the march to Springfield.

"How many more children have to die before the men and women wake up and start responding to us?" said Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Mayor Daley and Ron Holt, the father of a young man killed last year, challenged the students to take a stand.

"You have to stand there in the gap just like we stand in the gap and say put down the guns, this does not make any sense," said Ron Holt.

"Tell somebody if there's a gun, if there's argument, difficulty, take that to your principal or teacher because you're going to prevent some child from being killed," Daley said. "There's too many guns in America, too many guns – let's get the guns out of America."

It's a message students responded to.

"I believe they will if they want to stop losing their loved ones, their friends, they'll share," said one student.

The fight against gun violence also resonates with parents like Willie Williams. April 1 marks the two-year-anniversary of the murder of his son.

"I miss him dearly," Williams said. "Instead of having him on my shirt, he should be in college."

In addition to taking the marchers to Springfield, Father Michael Pfleger said they're planning to visit the homes of state legislators to try and pressure them to support tougher gun laws.

"Take a bus tour of parents who have lost their children, and let them ring the doorbell so they can feel the pain we felt," he said. "You tell this parent who buried their son…you tell him that you're not going to support gun laws."

Mosley said easy access to guns has been a plague to his generation.

"There's a lack of conflict resolution within our generation, so with the easy access to guns, we're acting on our emotion," Mosley said. "We don't have time to think, so if you have a gun in your hand and you're still under that emotion, you just shoot people."

Like the pictures of positive role models that hang on Simeon's walls, the students hope to influence their peers and adults who might be able to help.

"Gun laws need to change," Winston said. "A lot of stuff starts at the home."

"Thirty students that passed last year won't die in vain, nor the 20 (this year) or the two that were shot last night," added Mosley, who was to be a featured speaker at the event. "No injuries, deaths or wounds will go in vain."

David Hilpp is pro-guns and says, while it's easy to blame guns, taking them off the streets won't stop the violence. He says the real solution is more social programs like jobs, opportunities, keeping kids in school, telling them not to be in gangs.

"Why should people have access to AK-47's?" CPS CEO Arne Duncan said. "Yes we do have to challenge parents to be parents, but at the end of the day we have to get rid of the guns."
The students also suggested they'd like more security at their schools.

Refusing To Accept Violence As The Norm
The demonstrators hope lawmakers will pass tougher gun laws, but in the meantime many in the communities hardest hit are stepping up to keep kids safe.

As students left Crane High School Tuesday afternoon, many of them were thankful, simply, for having survived another day.

"You can't go nowhere these days without getting shot," said junior Juston Gant. "It just crazy."

Sadly, many of the students say it's just part of their life.

"We used to this stuff in here, so it won't phase us," said junior Amia Wooten. "As long as we out the way when the bullet flies, that's all that matters."

"I've very scared for my son everyday, and I just pray," said parent Phyllis Gregory. "That's all I can do."

But some in the community refuse to accept violence as the norm.

Members of the organization CeaseFire on Tuesday proposed a supervised meeting between five rival gangs believed to be behind much of the violence at crane.

"We are going to be lock down until we can work some issues," said CeaseFire's Tio Hardiman.

Other community activists want mentors brought in to talk to students about life choices.

"Some decision that they make can end up in jail or end up with death," said community activist Byron Dickens. "Also some decisions they make can end up with a college degree."

Parents and students say they like the ideas, but would also like more after school programs to steer kids away from the streets.

"A lot of kids probably volunteer and they won't be in too much drama," said Crane sophomore Deborah Jefferson.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago are also doing their part to help.

For more than 100 years, the clubs have been offering kids a safe place to go after to school to play and further their education.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago is also planning a town hall meeting for students at their Jordan location near Crane to see what else they can do to help end the violence.

In the meantime, Father Pfleger and his supporters say they will continue to rally at the Thompson Center every time a child is killed.

CBS 2's Mai Martinez, Dorothy Tucker, Kristyn Hartman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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