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The Teen Appeal
The University of Memphis
300 Meeman Journalism Building
Memphis, TN., 38152
(901) 678-4710
fax (901) 678-4287
It may have been April Fool’s Day, but Peabody Place security officers weren’t joking during a recent incident with students from a Chicago school.
On April 1, I was with a group of students from Middle College High School at Olive Harvey College in Chicago who visited Peabody Place in downtown Memphis. Also on the trip were other students from Memphis’ Middle College High School at Southwest Community College.
The visit was scheduled to give students at middle college high schools in different cities a chance to share their experiences as high school students on college campuses. Instead, it turned into a horrifying lesson in how our city treats teens.
While touring the shopping center, the Chicago students were excited as they walked around with cameras and camcorders. While we were walking around the mall, showing these students the sights, a uniformed officer, L. Fullilove, approached and loudly told us to break up our group and move on because we were violating Peabody Place rules. We were unsure if the officer was a security guard or a police officer.
Before anyone could explain that the students were out-of-town visitors, Fullilove screamed, “Get yawl black monkey a-- out of here.”
Unsure what to do, we decided to walk back toward the Jillian’s restaurant where our teachers were still eating. One student made a remark to the officer that he should be able to find something better to do. Suddenly, Fullilove pulled out his gun, snatched up one of the students, who wasn’t even the student who made the remark, threw him against the wall and handcuffed him.
Outraged, several Chicago students began to defend their classmate, while some of us ran down to the elevator to get help from our principal, Michelle Brantley-Patterson, who was with the Chicago students’ dean of students.
Patterson went to the security offices where the officer tried to explain the student walked up behind him and he felt threatened. Patterson said it was never made clear if the officer was a Peabody Place security guard or a police officer.
Repeated phone messages and a fax to Peabody Place management and security offices were never answered. In the end, the student wasn’t charged with anything, but the incident was disturbing to everyone involved.
Peabody Place should have security officers who can handle situations with better control and restraint. Security guards are supposed to keep such chaos from happening rather than create chaotic situations. Pulling a gun should only be done when someone’s life is on the line. Pulling a gun just because some high school kids unintentionally did not follow the rules is irresponsible, dangerous and dumb.
Authorities should promote Memphis, not make its image worse. The Chicago school, which was planning another trip for students to come back and visit Memphis next year, may not come back after the way their students were treated.
What’s worse is the Chicago teachers weren’t surprised by the actions of the officer. As he was leaving Peabody Place, one Chicago teacher said, “After all, we are in Memphis.”
Is this how we want people to feel about our city? Memphis should be famous for its blues and barbecue, not its violence and prejudice. Incidents like this tarnish our reputation. If Peabody Place is going to have rules targeting teens, then it needs to train its officers on how to handle such situations without endangering lives.