‘Shouldn’t have to live like this’
Orchard Gardens schoolkids, families fear sharps, addicts
Over and over again for several years now, frustrated parents, teachers and students have begged city and school officials to stop drug addicts from tossing their filthy needles and syringes onto the grounds of Roxbury’s Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School.
Parents, teachers and students have held protests. A student was pricked by a needle last year. Youngsters are trained to spot discarded needles, and teachers pick them up. Herald photographer Nicolaus Czarnecki found at least five used needles across from the school Thursday, near dozens of empty booze nips.
Time and time again, parents, teachers and students say they feel as though their concerns aren’t being heard.
As families prepare to send kids back to school in a few weeks, emotions are boiling over for parents and grandparents like Soraya Harley, whose two grandchildren, Azariah Harley, 9, and Anthony Harley, 8, attend the school.
“We’re all tired of this,” Harley said, breaking down in tears. “We shouldn’t have to live like this.”
Last week, the city acted quickly after a Suffolk County corrections officer was beaten on the nearby “Methadone Mile,” prompting “Operation Clean Sweep,” which resulted in a slew of arrests. Boston police stepped up patrols of the addict-riddled area encompassing Massachusetts Avenue around Melnea Cass Boulevard and Southampton Street. At a community meeting Wednesday, South End residents voiced rage and frustration.
“How come it took a correctional officer to get beat for them to move the people out?” Harley said. “How come they can do it for a grown man but you can’t do it for innocent little children? People are out there shooting needles, having sex and overdosing. How are you going to learn, worrying if you’re going to get pricked by a needle or a person on drugs is going to come up and do something to you?”
Harley said city leaders need to do more than just kick drug users out of Methadone Mile. They need to get addicts into treatment and rehab facilities.
Harley fears the Methadone Mile crackdown will drive more drug users onto school property.
“What is going to become of my grandchildren and their school now?” she said. “I’m very afraid.”
Some families are moving their children to other schools. Jay’dha Rackard, 11, is among them. Azariah Harley and Jay’dha brought their concerns to Washington, D.C., in June, where they spoke with presidential candidate Marianne Williamson about the needle problem at their school.
Mayor Martin Walsh said in a statement, “We have taken steps to protect our students … by increasing the capacity of the Mobile Sharps Unit, prioritizing substance use education and prevention, and training staff on how to properly dispose of any encountered needle … officials sweep the Orchard Gardens playground three times a day, and have implemented additional fencing, lighting and security around the school.”
Newly appointed schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said in a statement: “Our students’ health, safety and well-being is always our highest priority. We will continue doing everything within our power at BPS, including working with our sister agencies and partners to leverage our collective strength and resources, so our students all have safe and welcoming schools where they can learn, grow and thrive.”
Let’s hope she’s right. Boston’s students deserve better.