Dennis Kane, Speech & Debate coach and video production teacher, is collecting water bottles and juice boxes in Room 106 to donate to the students of Ferguson-Florissant School District, which delayed its first day until Monday.

Since the night of August 9th, when Police Officer Darren Wilson shot teenager Michael Brown, the town of Ferguson has erupted in protest, which are violently escalating. These riots have caused the Ferguson-Florissant School District to close their doors to many students.

“The biggest thing right now is the kids who want to go to school, can’t,” Kane said. “I found out last night that there’s upwards of 300 kids meeting at the Ferguson Public Library everyday, and there are about 50-60 teachers that volunteered to go tutor kids and work with them.”

Kane said since the Ferguson-Florissant school district delayed its first day of school, some students who depend on the free and reduced lunch program don’t have the means to have snacks and water. Many of the people helping are volunteers.

Currently, Kane hasn’t received any donations but is encouraging students to donate.

Kane said he advises everyone to be careful about what they read because not all of the information is accurate.

“Try to be aware of both sides; don’t believe the first thing you hear, Twitter is not a good independent source,” Kane said. “ Anything you hear on Twitter, you’re going to have to find out from three or four other places before you believe it.”

Personally, Kane said no one will ever really know what happened that night between Brown and Officer Wilson besides them.

“In my opinion, I don’t think anyone will know what happened except the two people involved,” Kane said. “You hear rumors, but I don’t know what to believe because I wasn’t there.”

Kane lives in Normandy, which is only minutes away from Ferguson, but Kane said his neighborhood hasn’t been affected by the riots.

“It’s really been quiet. We did have the NAACP meeting right there last week at a church. Well that church is half a block from my house, but there were no issues,” Kane said.

Kane said even though the riots are located on three blocks and Ferguson is overall a quaint, little town, this protest will impact the St. Louis Community

“In the short-term there won’t be a lot [impacts], but in the long term it just remains to be seen what actually happens with the court case and everything,” Kane said. “I can see something like the individual cams being more of a big thing for police to wear all the time because in places where they’ve done that, violence has gone down, there’s been less problems with complaints against the police force.”

*8/22- update: Schools are opening on Monday, August 24.