Think
back to your high school homecoming. The annual tradition is a renowned part of
the cliché All-American high school experience, as many find themselves
searching for the perfect dress or decorating the campus in the school’s
colors, among other celebratory activities. You may be able to picture yourself
with those flowers in hand and your head itching for the crown, or you may be
reminded of dreading the ordeal altogether, staying home to avoid the
commemorative festivities. At Austin-East Magnet High School, found in local
east Knoxville on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, homecoming coronation is a big
deal. The week before is spent in anticipation, as boys and girls alike prepare
for the community affair following the parade at the end of the week.
Coronation night seems magical for all high school participants involved, as
the Austin-East high school family crowds in to the decorated auditorium to see
their beautiful loved ones receive recognition. The stage is filled with both
anxiety and excitement as students wait in hopes to hear their friend’s names
or their own names. And then finally, the moment they have all been waiting
for- a name is called. And then a scream is heard. The scream then suddenly
progresses into a chant. The mantra is continuously repeated as the message is
received, “So, so, so, pretty. You want to be me! So, so, so pretty. You want
to be me, b****!” And the Esquires are here.
According
to Omar Jackson, founder and director, the Esquires Junior Fraternity is a young
people’s leadership development organization. However, to many others the
organization is viewed as a glorified gang, or even a cult. Omar Jackson was a
former member of a fraternity at the University of Tennessee Knoxville;
however, was asked to leave by fellow brothers, who have attempted to make
unknown charges against him. Omar Jackson failed to be reached for comment. The
Esquires are affiliated with various schools in Knoxville, but particularly
Austin-East High School. The organization targets high school students with the
use of bulky promises, from instant popularity to prestigious scholarship
opportunities. The Esquires follows the model of a typical college fraternity
or sorority in many ways, such as the requirement for useless knowledge regarding
other members (parent’s names, birthplaces, etc.) and memorizing the Greek
alphabet. The Esquires follows the model of a typical street gang scandal in
other ways.
Being
a member of the Esquires does not come with an open invitation. Unlike other high
school extracurricular activities, the alleged fraternity does not accept
everyone. The members of the Esquires are particularly selected, and when selected,
it is done in secret. When selected, a student is considered to be “on line”
and the unclear course of hazing begins. At many of the functions Omar Jackson
is not present, as he is aware of the bad that occurs but turns a blind eye
towards what he has created. The chanting that took place at the homecoming
coronation is not uncommon of the Esquires. The “so, so, so pretty chant” is
among many that promote and enforce a condescending and manipulative attitude,
all using profanities to reinforce the message. As the chants are learned
throughout the initiation process, a degree of fear is instilled in those
participants on line. All students, both males and females, are forced to dress
a certain way every day. More often than not, this also forces kids to spend
unnecessary expenses on new clothes, suitable for the Esquires. These expenses
are minimal, however, compared to the initiation fee, monthly dues, and cost of
the official and coveted Esquire jacket that is approximately $250.
While there is little parental
involvement in the Esquires, when they are involved they are deceived and
manipulated. Omar Jackson promises parents abundant scholarship opportunities
and prestige for their beloved child. After a long ten-year history, there is
still no evidence of a known scholarship fund through the Esquires and students
are told to not mention their association with the fraternity when applying or
communicating with colleges. Any money that is handled within the Esquires is
the money given by the members themselves, which is also known as Omar
Jackson’s main source of income. As Austin-East Magnet High School is found
within the inner-city projects of east Knoxville, the vast majority of students
involved in the Esquires are raised in low-income homes. These low-income homes
and lifestyles simply cannot afford the financial requirements of an Esquire,
but the desperate students still find a way. This leaves high school students
searching for ways to acquire the funds, even if it means engaging in dangerous
and harmful activity. While on line, Omar Jackson offers to cover lifestyle
expenses of new members. This grown, and what some consider generous, man
offers to pay for everything for these students, from their cell phone bills to
their school fees. As long as they call him “daddy.” Yes, the Esquires must
refer to Omar Jackson as “daddy” or “daddy O.”
As the newly invited members of the prestigious Esquires
continue to remain on line, they are placed under an intense set of
restrictions and rules. “Daddy” does not allow the new members to be seen in
public places (including Kroger with their real daddy), involvement in any
social functions outside of Esquire meetings (particularly religious affiliated
activities), and friendships or relationships outside of the Esquires (all
members must cut ties with those who are not their future ‘brothers’ or
‘sisters’). Barbara Hill, an Austin-East parent of four, makes the claim that
by placing these restrictions on the students, the Esquires are encouraging and
forcing children to live a lie, as their parents, loved ones, and friends are
unaware of what is really going on. A level of secrecy is drilled into the
minds of all participating students, as they are threatened upon the mere
thought of talking to anyone outside of the Esquires and refusing to follow the
rules of “daddy.” All conversations with or without other members of the
Esquires must be recorded by those participants on line and then shared with Jackson,
so that he can review them. Tyrone*, a male alumni, was a part of the Esquires
throughout his years as an upperclassman. While on line, he was enrolled in an
Advanced Placement (AP) course, in which a group project was due. However,
according to Esquire rules, Tyrone could not talk to members of the opposite
sex and thus could not complete his project, as he was put in a group with
girls. A self-proclaimed scholarship and college promoting organization would
allow a student to fail an AP course project in order to meet irrelevant
initiation guidelines.
According
to Jackie Smith*, Austin-East faculty member, countless number of fights have
been instigated by the Esquires. Smith has spent many of her school days along
side of her coworkers, escorting various members of the fraternity from class
to class, as they cannot be left alone without triggering violence. This
violence originates outside of school, as the Esquires meet at the local park
on Skyline Drive to meet other organizations to fight. The Esquires are also
known for their loud and notorious party hop, in which they hold up a party to
perform a step and chant and then challenge a targeted group to fight.
Rachelle*, a female sophomore at Austin-East, states, “If one of the Esquires
does not like you, then none of them like you…and they will gang you. They will
gang you.” Rachelle, as well as her sister, have both been targeted victims of
the Esquires. Rachelle’s family, as well as many in the Austin-East community,
has witnessed members of the Esquires dressed up in all black and running
around their local church at night. The members of Esquires are not allowed to
attend this church, however. Church is chosen by Omar Jackson, himself, and can
only be attended if in a group of Esquires at the same time and place.
Many
rumors continue to surface in regards to the Esquires, from the promised
scholarships that are never seen to the darkness and confusion found within
teens after being initiated into the fraternity. As the rumors continue to
surface and turn into credited facts, questions still remain. Who is “daddy”
Omar Jackson and what is a grown man doing with so many students money? What happens
within the guarded meeting rooms in which no one else is allowed to see? What
is the sole purpose behind the rituals and restrictions placed by the Esquires?
Who are the Esquires and what are they doing to our children?
No comments:
Post a Comment