Wow. That was well put and nicely written. I honestly shed a few tears. It always feels more personal when you put a face with a name when it comes to these tragic situations. I truly sympathize for all affected by this tragedy. It is such a shame that his life was ended so shortly. Hopefully justice will prevail and Jason can rest in peace.

RIP Jason. Thank you, Mr Jones, for providing us some insight into Jason's life.

I FEEL THAT IF THE AUNT AND FAMILY MEMBERS KNEW THAT MURDER WAS HARRASSELING JASON THEN IT SHOULD HAD BEEN CHECK BEFORE IT GOTTEN TO THIS POINT, AND MAYBE JASON WOULD STILL BE HERE

Awesome kid, I just love what the teacher wrote, this teacher saw Jason as he was a GOOD GOOD kid and an excellent human being. The teacher showed us Jason as happy go lucky child full of life, this is awesome because they had him as a student at least 8 hours a day, and saw him as he was.

Jason would have been a excellent asset to soceity, to give back what he got out, caring individual, love of mankind and a productive human being.
May Jason rest in the arms of God almighty.
Jason, thought this man was ok, because he visited his ...Aunt...I hope, God moves swiftly in justice.

Yes these child predators do rape and murder innocent children, girls and boys alike.

I fault the Judges, in America because they are males, and they feel sorry for their own gender, and they go easy on them.
What a lousy Judge to ever let a convicted murder out from behind bars. Let him go and send him to Texas. We execute swift and fast here.

Thanks, Ryan. I'm proud of you for writing this. You must be a wonderful teacher.

this is a very sad situation because as a parent you no theres danger out there in the street our kids have to look out for but you never expect something like this i have four kids and dont make a diffrence of how they act or what trouble they get in they are still our kids we as parents take this and start asking our kids questions how was your day get in any trouble anybody mess with you we need to do these type of things to make sure our kids are safe R I P LITTLE MAN I NEVER MET YOU DONT NO YOU BUT YOUR IN A BETTER PLACE NOW AND YOUR ENEMY WHO DID THIS TO YOU WILL GET HIS CALLING AND IT AINT GOING TO BE WERE YOUR AT

This is such a tragic story on sooo many levels. I'll just take a moment to mention the two that stand out to me the most.
1) Where are the BLACK men who father these children? How is it that time can be made to enjoy the situation or event (if at all it really was enjoyable to both parties to bring these children into the world - but too many of us take no time out to spend with these all too precious lives once they are here?!?

Secondly, the overload of the "American Judicial System" and apparent short comming of our society as a whole is all too obvious. Why was a "CONVICTED MURDERER" who alledgedly committed this crime out on the streets?? Yet, we question the need for the death penalty which basically was voted away because of the lack of the "American Judicial System" to properly administrate it!

I'm too through!

I am a bus driver who picks up your children everyday.When I hear stories like this I have the same feelings for each of my students. When they get in my bus their my kids and I would go to the end of the earth for them.I think his life should have been spared but perhaps God had a purpose for him. As far as his killer he needs to pay and dearly for it. Now its in the hands of the Government. REMEMBER JASON ALWAYS. for he should not be forgotten.

Thank you for a wonderful story about jason. i knew this young man and your story brought me to tears.We for get about the victims and thank you for remembering a nice and kind young man.you must be a wonderful teacher.

Mr. Jones, you are a special person and I know that Jason is looking down on you from Heaven and remembering you for that special person that toched his life. The world needs more people like you and less people like the SUSPECT or the JUDGE who let this crazy person go free. My prayers go out to you and all the other people in Jason's family.

As a nation, we have to fight to change the child laws and send a message to these CRAZY people (suspects, judges, parole officers, etc.) that we have ZERO toleration for killing our kids. I hope that fight starts with you Mr. Jones.

May God Always Bless You

Thank you for writing this Mr. Jones, I'm sorry for your loss.

Everyone over 10 in that house should be question. 1st I read that a cousin heard him screaming, and then the screaming didn't fade out or get lower in volume, it just stopped. She then when to get the lady of the house.
Why didn't she call the police?
After tell this adult what she heard why didn't they notify the police or at least go an investigate the noise themselves?
Then I read the police were called to the house to investigate a burglary! Then later they notice Jason was not there and blood was coming from under the door.
This is crap! Anybody hearing someone scream in their home are going to go see what the problem is!
In memory of Else Hope.
They knew what was going on!
And this Parrish animal had to come right pass them or out the window. Those houses are small!

Later the police was called to the house to investigate a possibly burgary. And subsequently some one notice that Jason was not there either then they notice blood seeping from under a door!

You are what Baltimore City & County schools are missing.... a teacher that cares..Your letter was so touching and regardless of what he was, he was a child, a beautiful young man, that did not deserve to die in that manner...Thank you for sharing a different outlook to this situation.

What a moving testimonial by a special teacher, for a special student. Thank you, Ryan, for sharing with us. Jason was fortunate to have you as a teacher and an advocate.

I was very touched and saddened when I saw your heart felt comments. I just looked at his smile and could have only imagined what a joy it must have been to teach this child. As a resident, in Northeast Baltimore I'm often angry and sad at all the wasted talent and lives of way too many YOUNG BLACK BOYS on the corner !!!!!!!

Its just so sad that we live in a city where young lives aren't valued. There is no outcry even when an innocent life is taken away so violently. I pray for justice for JASON !!!! RIP

To Mr. Jones, I thank you for your letter. I have lost two nephews in the last 4 years to violence and both were under the age of 21. Both were high school graduates and star athletes in high school. But, like Jason's story, how they were taken got more glory than their life. I am so grateful that you decided to take the time to express how Jason was as a child, regardless of what his home circumstances were and what his end on this side of life came to be. May you find comfort in the Lord Jesus and seek strenght in His word. Be blessed.

Ryan,
You are exactly what this city needs. Thank you for posting about Jason's life, thank you for being the sort of teacher who took the time for their students, instead of those who just push them through the system. I wish you, me, Anna Sowers, and Keifer Mitchell could get voted into office. Then this city would surely get the change it needs.

Happy Holidays to you and your family, and peace be with Jason's.

I agree with one of the other comments. If his family knew that the person responsible for this tragedy was making sexual advances at him, then that situation should have never happened. You don't let an adult make sexual advances at no child male or female. Parrish should have never been aloud to be around Jason. Parrish will have to answer to the man above and he will answer. So many unanswered questions and what is being told just doesn't make sense.

Mr. Jones, first I offer my condolences to you, and to Jason's family and friends. I just learned of this young man's death, and am heartbroken. I'm saddened by the loss of such a gifted and promising soul; I'm saddened by the lack of respect that our soceity has developed; and I'm saddened that the attention seems to be focused on the murderer and not the victim. Perhaps though, there is a bit of a balm in all of this: perhaps people will be less quick to label as thugs all of the young people. Many of the young people being destroyed by violence are not participants, but rather are victims. Not ALL young black men are crimminals. It is very easy to be indifferent, or to turn the other way when there is no face to go with the statistics. Mr. Jones, thank you for putting a face and a life to this tragedy, and thank you for the work you do each and every day.

He sounds like he was a special kid. I forwarded your letter to some people.

Thank You so much for bringing this to light. Jason is among the stars now ,where he can do nothing but SHINE. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but his smile and your voice is worth millions. God bless you.

Mr Jones, you wrote a wonderful letter and I couldn't have stated it better myself. I could not bring myself to come to the memorial or the funeral. I just wanted to remember him as the young man who walked in every morning, spoke to everyone, talked all day, but would quickly put it on pause when it came to getting his education.

He was a such a special student with so much potential and such a desire to succeed.

We must all move on and remember the good times and the laughs. And only hope that this incident will lead others to move ahead in a positive manner and do it for themselves and for their friend who won't be there to join them.

Thank you so much, Mr. Jones, for writing such a moving memorial. It is a heartfelt tribute. What a loss!

Let me start by saying, "Relax In Paradise Jason."

This story caught my attention and hit close to home because my community just lost a young loved one as well. I stay in Oak Cliff, a community in Dallas Texas, so I see this quite often. It's very rare that someone close to the victim, or anyone at all for that matter write something so profound and heartwarming about the victim. I feel like I knew Jason from reading this letter, or it could be that he resembles, from his appearance and his described personality someone that I was once close with. Though he left us in such a brutal manner, through this letter he'll stay with us in such a beautiful way. Thank You Mr. Ryan C. Jones

Again, Relax In Paradise Jason.

Thank you Mr. Jones for your insightful look into Jason. You are one of MANY teacherS teachers in the Baltimore city schools. Contrary to what many think, our teachers DO care about our kids. Adminstration, over-bearing parents and disinterested (sic) students probbaly wear our teachers down. Thank you Jason for making your teachers jobs worth coming to Baltimore city to teach!

My heart is out to the family.
And now urge All familys to just listen and love, when a family memeber choose to be diffierent...My hat is off to the teacher. RIP, youngen you did nothing wrong.

Thank you Mr. Ryan for such a heartfelt expression of Jason. To hear of his age and the violence taken upon his life was enough for one to say WOW...but like you said the media never told us WHO Jason was. Your story was so heartfelt...His life/dreams were cut short but the young man he was growing to become will stay with people forever. May GOD bless you and his family. It is good to know that there are still some teachers who really care and take an interest in our children. RIP Jason (God knows best)

Somebody needs to be accountable for this child's death, There are so many people loosing their love one to these repeat offender,they are letting them out way to soon,they only serve half their time due to the good credit they earn in jail,I think is all comes down to bed space.We should start sueing the state when something like this happens,just maybe they would keep these repeat offender behind bars,The good credits needs to be taken away from the repeat offenders,my son was kiiled by a 17 year old repeat offender who had 5 hand gun counts agaist him and he ws slapped on the hands and sent back out on the streets,they waited until he killed someone before they done anything with him.