“Bullying in general is common to middle school. Most fights arise from passive violence. They start with rumors, saying mean things to one another. Generally speaking, middle school determines the direction of where students go, whether they behave well or choose to hang out with bad influences and get into trouble. Sixth, seventh and eighth grades are pivotal years, where children often start rebelling. By high school, they have formed which way they are going to go. They’ve made their decisions and their self-identity has been developed.” So stated Linda Myring, honors english and history teacher for the past year at Horace Mann and teacher for LAUSD for the past 16 years.

   iChoose chose Horace Mann as the first stop on a tour of Southern California schools on May 3rd. The school is located not too far from the intersection of Florence and Normandie avenues where, in 1992, a truck driver who stopped at a traffic light was dragged from his vehicle and severely beaten by an angry mob. That incident was largely considered the flashpoint of a violent rampage that followed the verdict in the Rodney King trial.

   Prior to the iChoose performance, more than 600 students, from sixth through eighth grades, filed into the Horace Mann auditorium.  Excitement, coupled with a palpable restlessness, was felt everywhere.  But once the performers hit the stage, the audience became transfixed.

   Applause accompanied by cheers roared through the auditorium as the performers finished their first number.  As the show progressed, each character expressed a true-life experience.  One spoke of enduring physical or verbal abuse.  Another talked about being ridiculed because of race and sexual orientation.  Still another confessed to contemplating and perhaps even attempting suicide.  Each heartrending experience was followed by a strong determination toward self-respect and victory over violence.  The students went wild, applauding in affirmation.

   After the performance, a dialogue was conducted between students and performers, allowing students a further opportunity to learn about various forms of violence—passive, verbal and physical. When asked if they enjoyed the iChoose assembly, the students screamed out an enthusiastic, “YES!”

   “We invite many speakers to the school,” said Ms. Myring. “And usually, according to the students, they feel lectured at. But the students loved the iChoose performance because, instead of talking at them, the performers talked with them. They spoke to their hearts through their shared experiences. Youth can talk to youth. They can identify with them.”

   Deborah Gayle, principal at Horace Mann, said: “Children really have no choice of where in the community the school is located. They generally feel like they have to respond in a certain way because that’s what’s required of them. What we are trying to do here at our school is let them know that they can make a choice. iChoose helped students identify the different types of violence. Nobody had talked about it this way before. We at the school have been saying the same thing as iChoose, but through music, songs and entertainment you put it on their level so that they could really comprehend and take it in.

   “At the end, when the cast got up for the reprise, I heard kids singing, which they continued as they were walking out. Music has been taken out of our school [due to budget cuts]. But music is their thing, and the way iChoose uses it to communicate is very powerful.

   “One performer’s story was particularly effective. When she related that because her boyfriend became violent and left bruises on her arms, she determined that she would never play the part of a victim again, I really felt the students connecting with that message.

   “I’m very grateful to ICAP’s Mr. Herbie Hancock, Mr. Wayne Shorter and Mr. Patrick Duffy for bringing this inspiring musical and the program to our school.  As Dr. Daisaku Ikeda declared, we have chosen this time to transform the world. I feel our students will remember the message of iChoose for many years to come.”