Diana's Column

BY DIANA HADLEY
Mooresville High School
   The telephone message came Saturday morning—a teacher nightmare call. One of our school’s football captains had been killed in an accident. My knees weakened, and I held my breath for the name: Steven Terrell. There was a split second of relief that he wasn’t one of “my kids” followed by mental scolding that they are all my kids. In a school of less than 1300 everyone is affected by the loss of one.
   As my mind’s eye struggled for an image to go with a name that seemed familiar, I suddenly made a connection with my broadcast class. When one of my co-anchors had summarized football statistics for a Mooresville victory earlier in the season, she pronounced “Terrell” with the emphasis on the last syllable instead of the first. I asked the student director to stop taping so we could record again and get the name right. After all the statistics indicated this Steven Terrell had made a major contribution toward the win.
The two anchors started at the beginning. They were having a great run when “Terrell” rolled up the teleprompter again, and Becky mispronounced it again. She knew she should just correct it and continue, but frustration took over as she repeated it several times correctly and banged her fist on the desk for emphasis. Her classmates and I howled with comic relief. The next taping was perfect, but we marked the other as an outtake our students would enjoy at the end of the semester. Becky said Steven heard about the mistake and told her he didn’t care how she pronounced his name as long as she included all his stats.
   I pondered the bitter irony of the Terrell “stats” we would present on our Monday broadcast: calling and funeral hours. It wasn’t until later in the day that I heard a local news report say the accident had occurred shortly after 3:00 a.m. The last line of the report said an investigation would determine whether alcohol had been a factor. Suddenly, I realized that the tragedy might have an additional dimension.
   Monday was heartbreaking. Students were given the opportunity to grieve in groups or meet with counselors in the school library. Many shared pictures and signed a cross at a memorial site manned by football moms in the school’s entry. During the next two days students visited the accident site; reporters interviewed them; one of the broadcast students prepared a video tribute; and approximately 1200 people attended Terrell’s funeral.
   Even though the tragedy was the focus of conversation throughout the week, only bits and pieces of the circumstances that led to the accident surfaced. Speculations and rumors circulated, but police investigators said there seemed to be a “code of silence.” School officials said they were waiting for the police investigation to end before they began their own investigation. An adult who hosted the party was arrested on Thursday, and on Friday school officials announced that there was no evidence of others’ involvement that would affect the resolve of the football team to play the sectional game that night.
   This tragedy was obvious, but teachers see the results of teenage substance abuse on a regular basis in a variety of forms: failing grades, apathy, crime, and sometimes, death. Our school educates teenagers about the dangers of substance abuse; and we provide a drug-testing program and extracurricular groups that promote wise decision-making.
   Still, many teens think substance abuse is okay as long as they are “responsible.” Some of these are the same kids who can’t be “responsible’ enough to bring books, pencils, and homework to class, but others are honor students and leaders of extracurricular activities and athletics. Unfortunately, many of them attribute this “responsible use” philosophy to their parents. My colleagues and I have heard lines like the following many times over the years: “My folks say if I want to drink, I can do it at home.” The problem increases when those who give their blessing to let own kids abuse substances allow their kids’ friends to do the same.
   Very few students who shared their feelings with me last week blame Steven Terrell’s death on the party or substance abuse—only the belief that his friends should not have let him drive. Similarly, those who were involved don’t feel the need to step forward with information that could reveal the total story.
Consequently, a veil of secrecy about this tragedy and the mindset that caused it has been dropped over our school and community as the party atmosphere is protected.
   Ironically, Steven Terrell’s name was mispronounced by several of the television reports, and the “final stats” of this student with a 3.8 GPA appear in a toxicology report.
   At the end of a tragic week the Pioneers won a sectional championship in Steven Terrell’s honor; but until everyone (teachers, coaches, students, parents, and members of the community at large) accepts the fact that substance abuse kills integrity, ambition, dreams, and sometimes our kids…everyone loses.

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