The Shaping Of Our Future Generation, Putting A Plug In The School To Prison Pipeline!

By BOBBY HUNTLEY

During my 19 years with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, I served in the following capacities: Security Assistant, In School Suspension Coordinator, and Dean-of-Students / Work Adjustment Teacher. Also, for 14 years I was the Director of a Character Development Mentoring Program for the youth called: The Gentlemen's Club. The Shaping

• Language: English
• Publisher: B RAYE HUNTLEY ENTERPRISES
• Release date: Mar 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9780967233987

Book preview

BOOKS BY BOBBY RAYE HUNTLEY

ITALY AND BACK,

A BLACK MAN’S ODYSSEY

BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED ME,

429 DAY’S BROUGHT ME CLOSER TO JESUS!

THE GENTLEMEN’S CLUB

(CO-AUTHOR)

MOTHERS PLEASE…

THE SHAPING OF OUR FUTURE GENERATION

PUTTING A PLUG IN THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE!

For book signings and speaking engagements, please contact: [e-mail] [phone] [e-mail] [phone]

Self-Published (B Raye Huntley Enterprises)

Virginia Beach, Virginia 23464

Printed February 2022

Copyright © February 2022 by Bobby R. Huntley

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

Cover design by: B Raye Huntley Enterprises

Edited by: Sandra Crowder, Norfolk, VA

Printed by:

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Huntley, Bobby Raye 1960-

The Shaping Of Our Future Generation, Putting A Plug In The School

To Prison Pipeline / by: Bobby Raye Huntley

ISBN 978-0-9672339-7-0

Printed in the United States of America

Web site: www.brayehuntleyenterprises.com

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, I thank God, our Heavenly Father, for giving me the strength and insightfulness to write this book. I also thank God for blessing me with a beautiful and loving wife who never stopped believing in me and supporting me. Angelia my love, you are the epitome of a "Help-Meet and Virtuous Woman" as illustrated in the Bible. Proverbs 18:22 (NIV) "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord."

To my beautiful and amazing children, Star, Bobby II, William, Diamonte, and Mikael, I love you all deeply. To my grandchildren, Michael, Mikiyjah-Raye, and Novah, Papa loves you all so very much.

Special thanks to Pastor, Elder Melvin Woolard, Sr. (retired high school teacher) who with persistence encouraged me to seek employment with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS). To Pastor, Elder Paul Arrington (retired teacher) co-worker who from the start took me under his wings and helped to guide me along the way. Only having worked with me for one school year, Mr. Arrington saw something in me and asked me to take over his mentoring program, "The Gentlemen’s Club," a Character Development Mentoring Program for youth.

To Mr. Michael Bolton, Principal at Virginia Beach Central Academy Alternative High School (VBCA) who hired me as the Work Adjustment Teacher / Dean of Students. Mr. Bolton, our two years working together meant the world to me. I can honestly say to my surprise that it was the most satisfying and rewarding job I have ever had.

If the saying is true, A picture is worth a thousand words, then I just spared you from reading an additional 180,000 words!

FORWARD

As I was trying to watch my friend, Pastor B. Raye Huntley, begin his first-of-the year sermon, live on Facebook, with the comments (paraphrasing here) Some of us may have prayed for the end of 2021! We couldn’t wait for 2021 to be over! I immediately leapt to one of the biggest NEWS headlines of the year. 2021 – COVID 19 (aka Corona Virus) PANDEMIC KILLS HUNDREDS IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA!"

But brother Huntley is also very aware of the other pandemic (Endemic, actually) that ravaged our community, in yet ANOTHER year. I’ll call it: "ALONE-A-VIRUS." I define that as a disease of the mind that prompts a black male to believe he’s alone in the world; he doesn’t matter; his actions have no consequences, or, if they do, he doesn’t care; he can take life, then take a break-for lunch.

ALONE-A-VIRUS- a disease of the mind that prompts a black boy to have sex with a girl, and then another, and another.

ALONE-A-VIRUS- a hereditary disease passed down by his absent father that compels him to not feel the need to take care of his child.

ALONE-A-VIRUS- a hereditary disease passed down by his mother who picked the wrong man to make a baby with.

Brother Huntley knows well, how the endemic of ALONE-A-VIRUS ran rampant in 2021- another year of the gun. DOZENS of young black men, boys, (and women!) in southeastern Virginia were killed, wounded, and INCARCERATED, families terrorized due, in part, to GUN VIOLENCE- guns wielded by young black males.

A few months ago, brother Huntley walked the halls of schools in Virginia’s largest city, Virginia Beach. That city also has the smallest percentage of African American males of the seven cities in this region we call Hampton Roads. He knows well how that imbalance has often meant Black boys in situations where-when they act out they are disproportionately disciplined – suspended and expelled at higher rates than their white male counterparts.

Over the years I’ve seen, and worked with, brother Huntley as he attempted to use his military training, his education, and familial upbringing, to develop a treatment for ALONE-A-VIRUS. Part of that treatment was to simply show up. The simple presence of this 13 ½ year veteran Marine, representing in predominantly white schools (or the interestingly imbalanced, predominantly Black schools) would catch the eye of young Black boys. And when he’d shake a hand, introduce himself, and begin paying attention to a particular child, his presence as a positive black male role model began the treatment that boy’s ALONE-A-VIRUS, Huntley showed the boy he was NOT ALONE. ‘THIS SOMEBODY’ CARED.

Huntley developed several in-and after-school mentoring programs during his 19 years tenure in Virginia Beach schools. I was honored to meet with and share my professional experiences with the boys in his Character Development Mentoring Program; THE GENTLEMEN’S CLUB. A Mr. Huntley did the same for me. The impression remains with me to this day.

In his book, THE SHAPING OF OUR FUTURE GENERATION brother Huntley shares stories and details - the How To - of his efforts to develop treatment and prayerfully, eventually, a cure for ALONE-A-VIRUS. He is on a Life and death mission. I believe this Marine of the streets will accomplish his goal.

Thank you for all you do, brother Huntley.

Don Roberts

Award winning TV News Anchor, reporter,

WAVY TV, Norfolk, Portsmouth, VA.

Author: Rap To Live By’ and Hey Daddy- Read This"

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

"The Shaping of Our Future Generation" is the account of my 19 years working for the Virginia Beach City Public School System (VBCPS). I began writing this book, just six days after my retirement date (Friday, October 1, 2021).

I must say that this book, nor my employment with VBCPS would not have ever taken place if it were not for Pastor Melvin Woolard. He informed me that my true calling was working with students, our youth. I did not believe that because I had a passion to work with men who found themselves on the wrong path in life. Also, at the time, I was establishing my entrepreneurship as an inspirational speaker and author.

Pastor Woolard continued to pour into my spirit about working with youth, and finally, he convinced me when he asked, What better way to help men than to reach out to them, while they are young and properly guide them before they find themselves in trouble as men?

After hearing that, to get my foot in the door, I applied for a Security Assistant position at Plaza Middle School and was hired immediately. Now, my journey begins!

CHAPTER 1

Plaza Middle School

I started in the 2002-2003 school year. My first year working at Plaza Middle School was great. During the initial interview, the principal, Mr. Tucker learned of my overall success and accomplishments, while in the Marine Corps. I also informed Mr. Tucker that I was an inspirational speaker and author. He then gave me liberty to reach out to the students and to speak with them, as deemed necessary whenever time permitted.

He wanted me to make a positive impact on them, especially the boys whom he felt could really use another positive male role model in their lives. I did just that, and it wasn’t long before the work that I was doing spread throughout the school. Teachers began soliciting for my help in addressing male students.

It was at this point that I met Mr. Paul Arrington (teacher), and he informed me that he had a Character Development Mentoring Program called; "The Gentlemen’s Club." He had started the program a few years earlier, because he saw the need to address some issues that the young boys were displaying: walking around with their pants low and displaying their underwear, the way they spoke to teachers and staff, not being prepared for class, and their overall negative attitude towards life. Mr. Arrington met with the boys twice a month after school. He purchased snacks and drinks with his own money to give to them when they met.

At some point during the school year, I was asked by Mr. Arrington if I would come to one of his "Gentlemen’s Club" meetings and speak with the members? I accepted the invitation and spoke to about 7 members, and they seemed to be locked into what I was sharing with them. At the end of that school year, Mr. Arrington asked me if I would take over the program for the following school year. He stated that because of his workload, he would no longer be able to sponsor the program.

The next school year, I became the Director of "The Gentlemen’s Club." The club was year-long that began meeting in October and lasted until June. The club grew to 35 members consisting of 6th 7th and 8th grade male students and met after school twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. The first thing we did was to hold our election of officers that consisted of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Sergeant-At-Arms. The members nominated one another, campaign speeches were written and read. Votes were cast, and officers were elected.

After doing some research about other male mentoring programs in Virginia, I learned that many clubs only allowed students with passing grades and high-grade point averages to become members.

Also, students were required to be passing in all subjects and not be in trouble. I knew that I wanted "The Gentlemen’s Club" to be unique; however, I did not want to exclude anyone. I truly wanted to make a huge impact in the lives of our youth. And with that, we distinguished ourselves from the other programs.

I wanted to change the climate of the school. I needed to do this by first changing the outward appearances of our members. So, I implemented for our meetings that members needed to wear a suit, or at least shirt, tie, and slacks to school on the days of our meetings. I believed that if you look good, you will feel good about yourself.

I inquired through