Issue: Was It Right for Rodney G. King to Make a Recent Unannounced Appearance at Tustin High School?

Larry Koonse- USC associate professor of music I think it’s good for the children to be exposed to (King). They have a lot of questions about what happened. I think they are looking probably for some kind of mega-explanation (for the acquittal of the police officers who beat King). Imagine how confused they are about it. I think that’s the most important thing. They get a chance to finally have an adult tell them what happened. And what better way to do it? They have these conflicting signs here: the police, being law-and-order, beating somebody up. It’s such an incredibly difficult thing for a kid to struggle with, especially for the ones who lost their homes (in the riots). There was definitely something wrong with the way the officers dealt with the Rodney King situation. Yet Rodney King is not a role model for school-age kids at the same time. I wonder what his motives are--if he wants to in some way get into the talk-show circuit? I don’t know if it’s to recoup some money? Although, maybe he should be an example of someone whose rights have been tampered with who is coming to terms with that.

Lou Edward- Electrical mechanic I think he had a right to go. (Los Angeles police Officer) Stacey Koon had a right to go talk about the experience, didn’t he? (King) could tell them: “Look, see what happened to me.” I think it was a positive thing to talk to the kids. He could recount his experience. It’s good for them to say, “Look, we met the guy” and see the firsthand experience from him. He could tell them, “This is what happened to me. Stay in school. Don’t do what I’ve done.” I think it’s a positive message overall. The majority of kids he talked to were black, so I don’t know what the hell (Tustin school officials) are making noise about. It’s just a black guy coming to a white school. I think that’s the whole thing. They see a black man and think he shouldn’t be talking to students like that. (Critics of King) should open their minds. If they don’t want anybody talking, don’t let Koon talk either. Rodney King’s a victim. Koon says he’s a victim. So why not let King speak?

Genevie Gabb- Mother I think it was right for him to go there, to show kids that not everybody is perfect. People make mistakes. Kids need to know that so they can accept disappointment. In this world things happen that you don’t expect to happen. And that’s what kids need to know. We tell our children, “If you stay in school, everything will be all right.” But there’s a lot of people who have been to college and have degrees who have terrible things happen to them. It’s not a pretty story at the end all the time. He could probably be a role model for the kids, but it depends how his lifestyle is at the moment. See we really don’t know what type of life he’s living right now. And it depends on how he told his experiences. It would depend on how he would tell the story. And part of it would depend on the age of the kids.

Jon Song- USC business student If he tries to get kids to stay in school, that’s good. As a role model, at least he should reflect the positive attitudes of the people and try to forget what has happened. Try to cultivate positive things. Try to get the best out of a bad thing. I guess we should just give him a chance to turn over a new leaf. See what he can do since he is in the public eye now. I mean, look at someone like Magic Johnson. He tries to teach people about the (HIV) disease. He tries to use his stardom to get people aware of what has been happening. Maybe Rodney King can do the same in his own way. I don’t exactly know what the big deal is (over King’s school visit). I think that the whole (beating incident) has blown over.