The beating death of Derrion Albert, the honor roll student at Christian Fenger Academy High School in Chicago, isn’t really news.

And there isn’t anything that any of us need to hear or read regarding prosecutors charging four young men; Silvonus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, Eric Carson, 16, and Eugene Bailey, 18, with first-degree murder.

We’ve all been through this scenario too many times before and, believe me, will be reliving the violence again albeit with different names for the suspects, another city other than Chicago and a different set of parents mourning the loss of their teenage child who was destined to lead a productive life.

Am I cutting short much needed concern and sympathy for the victim and those who knew and loved him?

It may seem that way, but in honor of both Derrion Albert and his parents, I’m asking readers to take a long hard look at the young men arrested and at the other young people who took part in the violence and at those who stood by watching but not helping.

Just what did these inner-city watchers and beaters, after they got home from school that day, talk about with their parents and the rest of the family at the dinner table that evening?

For that matter, what kind of conversation went on in the home that morning before the teenagers packed up and left for their day’s learning experience?

This beating death is no more news than the nonsense commentary as to how and why violence is so prevalent in the black community.

Is rap music to blame? Are violent video games and movies part of the reason behind black kids killing black kids?

Oh, it’s drugs in the ‘hood, lack of jobs, poor self esteem, bad schools and insensitive officials, which includes the police, who just don’t understand that lack of opportunity creates social ills.

Too many parents in my community have let go of the values most of us old-timers were brought up with. Once upon a time, parents not only ruled the house but they ruled the streets they lived on.

Rap music? Well, if the lyrics don’t support my values you don’t play it in my house and you don’t need to own an IPod and select your own music, because the expensive little electronic gadget doesn’t fit into my budget, anyway.

Violence on the TV screen along with guns and ammo don’t play in my house, either.

Don’t talk to me about lack of jobs because there are too many teenagers who think they are above the task needed in entry level employment and, instead, they somehow believe a job means they are supposed to start at the top.

Home is supposed to provide opportunity for the lessons in life. Home is supposed to provide self esteem and can happen when parents assist their children in taking pride in the jobs they do around the house.

Poor schools in the hood where expectations for student performance are low? Yes, indeed, but that too is on the parents who spend more time at the mall than making sure the school is delivering and their own Jerome is working to make the honor roll.

Along with the arrest of Shannon, Riley, Carson and Bailey, their parents need to be slapped in the slammer, taken to trial and convicted for raising hoodlums.

Now, I would call that news.