Recently, the issues in Ferguson, Missouri over the shooting of teen Michael Brown remain a hot topic among students at North Cobb because of the violence enacted upon protesters by police.

“I feel as though we are ignoring messages that should have gotten across to us years ago. And it’s mainly a deal of race and individuality. We are too scared to jump and see the real consequences for a white man because they don’t want a black person to get the victory,” senior Makaila Johnson said.

Michael Brown was shot on August 9th after police suspected him in a convenience store robbery that happened earlier that day. Citizens of Ferguson have held demonstrations in the streets in attempts to obtain justice for the teen.

“I think that its okay to express displeasure and make your opinion known, but they are going about it in the wrong way,” sophomore Zach Mullinax said.

The demonstrations became more rowdy and rambunctious as time has progressed. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd in attempts to control the protesters.

“I think that its really stupid that the boy died because of that. No one should murder a human being based on the clothes that they wear. It’s like saying you blame a rape victim for getting raped because she was wearing short skirts. But I do think that the family is trying to mourn and rioters are being really unfair about it,” sophomore Shelby Dalton said.

According to reports, the police on duty that day were looking for a possible suspect for a store robbery when they came across an unarmed Brown. When the police approached him, he fled the scene with cops in pursuit, until he doubled back in what police describe as an attempt to disarm the officer, and the officer fired at the teen.

“I feel that its good that people are finally focusing on police brutality, but I feel like the way people in Ferguson are reacting is awful. They let it get really out of hand and if you’re going to riot you can do it for a real cause and not use it as an excuse to take it out on everybody in the area. They’re really bringing negative light onto themselves. They’re trying to prove a point and they’re making themselves look like the bad guys,” sophomore Samuel Vang said.

Many see this as an act of racism, but information continues to come to light as this story becomes more and more violent.

“The citizens of Ferguson are being treated improperly. It just shows how much racism is still predominant and how people just push it aside and aren’t giving it the right media,” junior Emmy Thompson said.

The opinion about this subject remains split down the middle, due to conflicting news media types and how viewers receive information.

“I think both sides have something at fault during this time, but it could have been better handled by both sides. I think its blown way out of proportion,” senior Andres Rodriguez said.