Trayvon Martin Case Sparks Talks in Riverhead Schools

The killing of Trayvon Martin, 17, in Sanford, Florida has polarized a nation.

Debate continues to rage over the case, which occurred on February 26 when George Zimmerman, who was on neighborhood watch, allegedly shot Martin in the gated community. Student on campuses across the country have begun wearing hoodies in solidarity with Martin, who was wearing a similar garment, as questions of racism are raised after his death.

Locally, educators and community leaders say education is critical.

Theresa Drozd, violence prevention coordinator for grades K through 12 in the , said discussions have been held in classes about the Trayvon Martin case. Council for Unity is a program embraced by the school district and local organizations to provide alternatives to gangs and violence.

"It's important that students undertand what happens in real life, in the real world," she said. "That someone trying to protect their community could turn into such a devastating situation. There are misconceptions, about the way people look, the way they dress. This could have been any one of our kids," Drozd said.

Lucius Ware, president of the Long Island chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)  said residents should galvanize to ensure the "Stand Your Ground" law, which is in place in Florida and allows for residents to carry a firearm and act in self-defense if they feel they are being threatened, is not adopted in New York State.

"We need to encourage people to seek fair treatment of everyone -- and fair laws, that are meaningful and do not negatively impact any segment of the population," he said.

The Trayvon Martin case, he said, has caused people to stand up and speak out. "The general groundswell is not stopping," Ware said. "Different people are coming togethher with many different approaches, which is encouraging. It's going to take that kind of groundswell to make sure it doesn't happen here in the state of New York."

Residents, Ware said, should lobby the New York State Assembly and Senate to ensure the law is not adopted in New York.

Racism, Ware said, remains entrenched in Suffolk County and across the country in areas including education, police treatment of individuals, financing, foreclosures and the redistricting process. Every level of government must reamin vigilant and diligent to monitor for racism, Ware said.  "Racism keeps cropping back up," he said. "People need to be kept constantly aware."