True Stories - My Very First Interaction At Petersburg High School

I had a contribution from a friend from High School.  Like some 9th Graders, he was coming from private school to the public to attend Petersburg High School.  Prior to High School, I was privileged to meet him and his brother, who both lived in my neighborhood.  We didn't hang out much, but did shoot some basketball a few times.  They were and are just nice guys.  As High School went on, the next 4 years, he, his brother and many others joined a pretty tight-nit group of good kids...most of us scared but tough.  For the ones coming from Peabody Middle School, the bright, newer high school was a nice change.

The story my friend shared is short...but a birds-eye view on his very first interaction in High School...this, honestly, could happen in most high schools, but was an interaction scenario that you eventually learned to avoid, if possible.

"Petersburg public schools-1st week of 9th grade. Came to PHS from private school. Walked up the back staircase, main building & dude asked me for a cigarette....Me: Sorry man, I don't smoke. Dude: Fuck you say? You wanna fight?

Late 90s PHS in a nutshell. Classic."

Ah, that back staircase on the West Wing...right outside the doors were where most went to smoke. I have had a few run-ins there myself.

We not only have to win the battle with SOL's in Petersburg, we have decades of stigma with people who attended our schools, many of which still live right here in Petersburg. Most have good reasons for their feelings and impression of our schools, derived from personal experiences. Though at the time of the event race may have played a factor, his memory of the event and feelings towards Petersburg Schools has nothing to do with race, creed, income bracket, or hate.