Not Just Students

The final week before Christmas break can be very enjoyable and very stressful for both teachers and students.  We often hear of an increase in students fighting during these weeks as several months worth of stressors reach a boiling point.  The pressure of semester exams mixed with the social ills facing many of these kids can, for some, be too much to handle.  What about the teachers?  As school districts across the nation are facing budget and staffing issues, state testing woes, and lack of morale, how are the teachers responding?  Teachers are usually looked upon to be the mediators of most of these problems.  No one expects the teachers to snap.

This past week in Poughkeepsie, New York, one of those teachers snapped.  While students filled the halls between periods, a 40 year old English teacher, who heard rumors of her upcoming firing attacked a fellow English teacher, a 54 year old female, with an 8 inch screwdriver.  Here's a quote from this story;

“And then time seemed to stand still. Dozens of teens and teachers froze as they say 40-year-old Ronette Ricketts began viciously stabbing fellow English teacher Cynthia Glozier. 3 wounds to the head, 2 puncture wounds to the neck, a dozen more to her back and body.”

As details unfold, one thing has been confirmed.  The rumors of the attacking teacher’s firing were untruthful.  Her job was safe. 

A senior football player witnessed the attack and decided to step in.  He rushed the attacking teacher and jammed the screwdriver out of her hand.  Many have since hailed Justin Richardson as a hero.  He credits his coach’s training as kicking in at the right time. 

Virgina Tech Redux

On Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 22 year old Ross Truett Ashley walked into his landlord’s office, pulled out a handgun, and demanded the keys to a Mercedes Benz.

On Thursday, December 8, 2011, Ross Ashley walked up to the unmarked patrol car of Virginia Tech Police Officer Deriek Crouse, who was on a traffic stop, and shot him to death. 

Mr. Ashley then ran through the Virginia Tech University campus before ultimately turning his gun on himself and ending his life. 

The campus was placed on lockdown as news quickly spread of a gunman on the loose.  While this would stir a panic at any school or university, the fact that it happened at Virginia Tech further alarmed many people.  On April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech was the scene of the worst school shooting, and the deadliest shooting incident by a lone gunman, in U.S. history.  On that fateful day, 33 people, including the shooter, were killed and 25 others wounded.  Many fault the responding officers’ reaction to the 2007 massacre.  Since then many policies throughout the country have been changed and several books have been written about the events.  Much has been learned about the shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, who was 23 years old when this incident took place. 

Ross Ashley is not as well known.  Although who knows what will be revealed about his character and any potential demons he was battling with, most reports simply say he was a quiet business student at a nearby college.  Other than recently shaving his head and running through his apartment hallways, he was hardly noticed.  It will be interesting (to some) to see what is revealed about this otherwise “normal” appearing young man. 

And while incidents like this happen far too often, the amount of attention being given to this shooting is its location.  As Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said, “It's just unfortunate and almost inexplicable that you could have a series of these events happen in a short four-year period.”

Officer Crouse was married and had 5 children. 

"Cyber-Banging": When Gangs Take It From the Street to the Web - New America Media

"Cyber-Banging": When Gangs Take It From the Street to the Web - New America Media

Bullying By The Numbers

Opponents of statistics often say that numbers can be skewed to prove whatever point is trying to be driven.  While this may be the case, there are some numbers that speak for themselves, and in this case, I believe I found some.  Here are some very alarming statistics on suicide, bullying, and bullycide.

1. According to the CDC, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among young people, resulting in approximately 4,400 deaths per year.
2. For every "successful" suicide, there are reportedly at least 100 attempts.
3. Over 14% of high school students have considered suicide, and 7% have attempted it.
4. Bullying victims are 2-9 times more likely to resort to suicide according to a Yale University study.
5. According to the above study, 10-14 year old girls are at a high risk.
6. According to a recent ABC News report, 30% of students are bullies or victims of bullies. (this number appears low).
7. The same ABC report reported that 160,000 kids stay home from school every day in fear of bullying.

And many people still believe bullying is a fad or a right of passage. 

Bullycide

A few years ago, the term “bullycide” did not exist.  However with the alarming number of kids killing themselves due to the cruelty of bullying, it was created.  In the last few weeks, it has been re-enforced.    

In Ridge Farm, Illinois, Ashlyn Conner was “tormented” by her classmates.  She was being called “fat” and a “slut” even though she was a beautiful child.  She had a bright smile and was a cheerleader.  The night before her death, she reportedly asked her mother if she could be home schooled because she was terrified of returning to her school.  The mother told her no and when she woke up the next morning, her daughter had killed herself by hanging herself with a scarf. 

In Chadbourn, North Carolina, Jasmine McClain hung herself with a belt after repeated bullying at school.  She was teased about her clothes and her shoes and she also dreaded returning to school.  Investigators further learned of her bullying through Facebook.  In every parent’s worst nightmare, her mother found her and Jasmine took her final breath in her mother’s arms. 

On April 20, 1999, there were 13 homicide and 2 bullycide victims at Columbine High School.  International news stations covered the events.  Books have been written, programs have been developed, and legislation has been passed based on the events of that day.  Sadly, in the case of these young girls and the majority of these young victims, their stories go untold. 

May their families find peace. 

Ashlyn Conner story can be read here

Jasmine McClain story can be read here

Stalked, Bullied, Beaten

In Garland, Texas, a 15 year old high school student was a victim of an all too common crime this week. 

In what appears to be an assault planned by the aggressor and her friends, a female student was approached at school, and while attempting to walk AND keeping her hands in her pockets, was assaulted.  She suffered a broken nose and had to be treated at a local emergency room. 

It appears that the parents of the victim had previously taught her properly.  They told her to walk away and it is very evident in the video which accompanies this story, that this is what she attempted to do.  The victim's mother had this to say,

“Just look at how violent it is! I told her, I said just walk away. She said, ‘I did what you told me, Mom.’ I told her no matter what you just walk away and she did,” she said.

In another all too common thread of this story, the incident apparently started on social media.  While social media can be a very rewarding, fulfilling, and practical tool, left in the hands of teenagers it can have serious, and sometimes deadly consequences.  The video was also posted on Youtube which many people do not consider a social media site.  With the technology in cellular phones ever increasing, kids can post videos to Youtube, Facebook, and other social media sites as soon as they are recorded.  The comments posted about these vidoes on all the sites can be alarming. 

The local school district did not comment on the incident.  However, school districts across the State of Texas were recently mandated to adopt anti-bullying policies which address cyber-bullying as well as several other times.  Harsher consequences for the aggressors are now mandatory.  So while the parents may be upset that the attackers were not arrested, they should remain vigilant in ensuring that the school complies with policy.  And they need to continue to teach their daughter that fighting is not the answer. 

Bullying Maybe???

Today in Grapevine, Texas, a 15 year old 9th grade student had to be air lifted to a local hospital after a possible neck injury.  Events like this are all too common during football practices and games, however in this case, the victim was merely in the school hallway. 

According to this brief report, a 16 year old classmate

""blindsided" the freshman about 1 p.m. today, knocking him onto his back"

All the details have not been released, however the 16 year old is in custody in a juvenile detention center. 

It is easy to speculate at what the reasons were behind this "attack".  Maybe the boys have a history of aggression towards each other.  Maybe they were involved in an argument over a Facebook status.  Maybe they were fighting over a female.  Or maybe the aggressor in this situation is a bully and the 15 year old was just another target for him. 

Either way, head injuries can be devastating.  There are many videos online which show the effects of students getting slammed onto their head.  Some have laid on the ground unconscious and seizing, others have barely been able to walk away. (see Richard Gale, the bully in Australia who was slammed by his victim) The true effects sometimes are not known until a few days after the event.  And what may start as a mutual fight or an aggressive bully taking advantage of his opportunity can end with very serious consequences. 

Video Games – Others

To wrap up the segment on gang influenced video games, I am going to quickly run threw a few which are far less popular then the Bully and Grand Theft Auto Series, but can be as equally negative.

25 To Life – released in 2006 to terrible reviews, this is a third person shooter (you see the entire character before you, unlike “Doom” which was previously discussed).  The game allows you to switch between play as a police officer and a gangster.  It also allows online play.

The Warriors – released in 2005 (also by Rockstar Games) and is based on a 1979 movie of the same name.  The game centers around the popular “gang rumbles” of the 1970’s and is centered on fighting.  The use of weapons and spray painting graffiti is also a factor in the game.

Crime Life: Gang Wars – released in 2005 also to negative reviews.  The game is based on gang turf wars with large scale fighting.  The plot centers on the main character wanting to join and then climb ranks in the gang.  Fists, pipes, bats, and guns are the weapons of choice, and killing is the point.

Call of Juarez: The Cartel – newly released in July 2011 to mixed reviews, the game is questioned by some for glamorizing drug cartels.  Although the main characters are DEA and FBI agents, the game centers around a drug cartel, local street gangs, sex traffickers, and drug houses.

 

Ride to Hell – the game has not been released as of yet.  It has been in development for several years and its anticipation is growing.  It is basically a Hell’s Angels game.  A Vietnam Veteran returns to society, has trouble conforming.  It is a time of sex, drugs, hippies, and motorcycles. 

And this concludes the brief series on video games.  If this is your first read, go back a few and you can see the point about writing about video games in a "Gangs and Schools" blog.  And again to clarify, I'm not saying that video games contribute to school violence, just that they can be an easiyl overlooked factor.  And as with anything else, parents need to monitor what their children are doing, watching, and playing.

Video Games – GTA

Probably one of the most controversial games of all time has been the Grand Theft Auto series, also developed by Rockstar Games.  Grand Theft Auto, or GTA, was originally released in 1997.  There was a format change beginning with GTA 3 which was released in 2001.  GTA has been highly scrutinized for the actions allowed in the game.  Aside from the story and missions of the game, players can spend hours exploring the city.  Players earn skills, points, and money for stealing cars, assaulting, robbing, and/or killing innocent civilians, picking up hookers, and killing police officers.  Stealing a police car, ambulance, or fire truck unlocks side missions which are necessary for 100% completion of the game.

In 2004, Rockstar games released Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and introduced gang life to millions of people who may have never been exposed to this lifestyle.  I’m not sure who the creators of the game consulted, but the lengths that were taken to mirror real life gangs are pretty amazing. 



CJ

When the game starts, the main character, known as CJ, moves back to this fictional city after the murder of his mother.  He is quickly drawn back into his gang.  The game allows for customization of tattoos and bandanas on the player, and includes some styles that are highly recognized as gang identifiers.  Early missions involve spray painting over rival gang graffiti, recruiting more gang members, taking over rival territories, and drive-by shootings.    Later missions involve working with crooked police, harvesting marijuana, killing music producers, and operating casinos. 

Going back to the detail involved in the game, here is the list of gangs in the game

Grove Street

• Grove Street Families – CJ’s gang with members named Sweet, Ryder, and Big Smoke
• The Ballas – a rival black gang, who have a subset named Rollin Heights
• Varios Los Aztecas – a Mexican gang
• Los Santos Vagos – a Mexican gang
• San Fierro Rifa – Involved in international drug trade
• Triads – Chinese gangs in the Chinatown version of the game.    



The Ballas

• One of them is named the Red Gecko Tong
• Da Nang Boys – a Vietnamese gang who control the docks
• The Mafia – 3 mob families ran by the Leone, Sindacco, and  Forelli’s.  They control the casinos.

 Over 20 million copies of this game were sold across the various gaming platforms.  While many adult males enjoy the game, there are many teen and pre-teen boys and girls who spent hours playing this game.  Many of my son’s friends had the game and he often would ask why I didn’t let him play it when his friends could (another story for another day). 

Parents – monitor what games your children are playing.  If they ask for a specific title, look into it. Search the game online and especially on Youtube for ideas of what will happen in the game.  Set and enforce the appropriate boundaries for your home.  While the game might be very fun, it can also introduce negativity.

Video Game - Bully

As mentioned in the previous post, the first video game I am going to highlight is called “Bully”.  Bully is made by Rockstar Games, the same company who is responsible for the Grand Theft Auto series of video games (next post).   

Here is a brief intro from makers themselves, which can also be read here; 

“As a mischievous schoolboy, you’ll stand up to bullies, get picked on by teachers, play pranks, win or lose the girl, and ultimately learn to navigate the obstacles of the worst school around, Bullworth Academy - a corrupt and crumbling prep school with an uptight facade.” 

The gameplay is what earned this game a spot in Yahoo! Games top 10 most controversial games of all time.  Since the game is centered around a school, naturally taking classes is needed.  When you excel at the classes, you learn to talk the police into letting you off the hook or how to make firecrackers.  “Playing pranks” as mentioned in the overview involves sling shots, bats, and bottle rockets.  Fighting and bullying are also a central theme of the game.  Winning some fights, hence beating someone up, is needed to advance in the game.  Violence against females, smaller children, and teachers is also possible. 

The game also some sexual content, and allows the player, a male character, to kiss both male and female students. 

Bully is available for the PlayStation 2, the Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360, and there is a PC version.  The game has been rated from T (teen, 13 and up) to M (mature) and won several awards upon its release.  While it may be an entertaining game to some, it is also very inappropriate for the younger consumer.

Video Games - Intro

I am going to begin a series on video games which parents should watch out for. 

While video games to not directly affect school violence, there are a few reasons for this series.  After the Columbine massacre, many people blamed the killers’ obsession with the “Doom” video game, which is a first-person shooter style game.  First person shooter games are those in which the game is played from the perspective of the person shooting the gun.  Advanced players, such as Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, could create their own worlds and levels.  In their case, they created levels filled with violence and shooting, which led many to believe that this influenced their behavior leading up to the shooting at the school. 

I also understand that it is very cliché to blame video games for bad behavior.  Many times when people blame games or music for violence, they are looking for an easy answer.  People will get in heated debates over this.  Interestingly enough, these same people often praise the use of video games for learning or positive activities.  So the question to ask is simple; do video games influence behavior?

The EA Sports Madden franchise is often used to predict the real outcome of football games.  Kids across the world learn plays, positions, and strategies from playing this game. 

The Rock Band and Guitar Hero video games have been credited with teaching people musical skills, or at least piquing their interest.

The Nintendo Wii game system has successfully created fitness games which allow users/gamers to workout, track calories, and actually lose weight by playing a video game.

On the negative side, the hijackers who flew the planes into the Twin Towers on 9-11-01 were said to have learned how to fly by using flight simulators, which are nothing more than highly sophisticated video games.

So while the use of video games is not a direct cause of behavior, positive or negative, the argument can be made that these games can have some influence.  Couple that with the amount of time kids spend playing these games as parents often use them as a babysitting tool, and that influence can grow exponentially.  The next few posts will each be about a specific game. 

A Small Town, Feel Good Story

While the news is usually filled with stories of bullying and violence in schools, it is nice to see a community support one of their own.  What’s even better is when students support one of their own. 

Azle, Texas is a town of just under 10,000 people approximately 16 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Texas.  The town has one high school, Azle High School.  At this high school is an 18 year old senior named Mariah Slick.  Mariah is a cheerleader for the school and last year was nominated as class favorite.  This year, she has been nominated for homecoming queen.  While these would be special moments for most high school girls, what stands out here is that Mariah has Down Syndrome.  One of the school’s teachers summed it up best,

"I really think if Mariah wins, we win. Because it really shows the character of those who voted," Chapa said. "That they would see past what is typical and acceptable and see the value that she adds. Even though she doesn't fit the part of what you would see as a queen."

Kudos go out to the students, teachers, and the parents in this community.  For the full story, read here.

Smash or Pass

The premise is simple; a picture is uploaded and viewers are ask to comment on whether they would “smash” (have sex with) or “pass”. 

Facebook pages, groups, and profiles are created with names such as “(random school name) Smash or Pass”.  The spelling can at times be unusual in a way to mislead adults.  Common uses are “smasho’pass and smashuhpass.  The creator of the page then broadcasts it around the school, and in no time, hundreds of students are in a common group, sharing pictures of each other and asking for the above comments.  While many chalk it up to innocent fun, or kids being kids, the content of these pictures and groups is what is alarming.  Young boys and girls are taking extremely revealing pictures of themselves in various poses for the others.  Obviously, the more revealing the picture, the better the comments, which is the intended goal. 

Users can also upload pictures of others and use this as an avenue for humiliation and bullying. 

This is just yet another reason for parents to monitor their children’s internet and social network usage.  Children need to be taught that not only can there be consequences for posting pictures online; they also lose control of the use of those pictures.  Smash or pass pages are also the destination for many pictures obtained through “sexting”. 

A simple search on Facebook of “Smash or Pass” reveals many pictures, including the one used in this post.  If you are curious or want to know about your area, open a Facebook profile and search the school name along with smash or pass.  The results may shock you. 

Sidenote – if the movie “The Social Network” is accurate, Facebook was basically started as smash or pass site.  Pictures of female students were paired up and viewers were to vote which one was more appealing. 

Beaded Bracelets

Just a quick note on a new trend which is hitting schools all across this area…

In what is just another of history repeating itself, kids are now making and wearing beaded bracelets for each other to wear.  There is no pattern to these things.  Boys and girls of all races and in most grade levels are wearing them.  While many just wear them for fashion statements and/or to honor their friends, gang members have started using them for their purposes as well. 

It is easy to hide the name of a gang, gang initials, or gang sayings in the bracelets.  Most people will just look at the group of bracelets and just chalk it up to “kids being kids”.  However upon further investigation, it is easy to notice the gang identifiers. 

The good news is that most schools are capable of addressing these in their dress code guidelines. 

Mob Mentality

A few years ago in Chicago, Illinois, a young man named Derrion Albert was beaten to death by fellow students.  Video of this incident made national news as this young man was punched, kicked, hit with a 2x4, and beat some more when he fell to the ground.  His friends pulled him into a nearby building where he died, and it was all recorded on cell phone video.  There were conflicting stories as to what happened, but one thing on the video is clear; there was a mob of students who fed off each other’s rage.

This week in Dallas, Texas, a similar story was released.  Following the first high school football game of the year, a “mob” of students was recorded on a store surveillance system taking over a convenience store, throwing, destroying, and stealing items.  The lone store clerk attempted to intervene when he was assaulted by a group of these students.  2 young girls pulled him to safety, which very well may have saved his life.  A second story about this same “mob” of students was subsequently released, and detailed how they targeted another young man earlier that evening.  What started as a fight in the stadium spilled out into the street.  This young man was beaten, stomped, punched, and thrown onto the hood of a car, cracking its windshield.  And there were adults around, and thankfully for this child as well, someone intervened before he was seriously harmed. 

As surveillance tapes are reviewed and witnesses come forward, it is likely that many of the involved students are not normally aggressive kids.  Human beings are still animals in a sense and when the pack animal or mob mentality takes over, the results can be tragic; just like when regular citizens fueled by passion and alcohol, riot and destroy cities after their teams win or lose championship games. 

However, this too all starts with parenting.  Attending football games on a Friday night is a big part of the high school experience.  But getting arrested for a felony is not.  Parents need to train their children, and more importantly, either attend the games with them or make sure they are properly supervised. 

Rachel's Impact

This past Thursday was an eventful day.  On Thursday morning I had the great opportunity to sit through a presentation of the Rachel’s Challenge program to a middle school assembly.  Rachel Joy Scott was the first victim of the Columbine High School Massacre on April 20, 1999.  Her father and brother have since started the Rachel’s Challenge campaign to teach students and adults how to effectively deal with bullying and other issues at schools.  Rachel’s saying was basically that with a simple act of kindness, you could “start a chain reaction.”  Rachel left such a legacy and touched so many lives prior to her death just by the way she lived.  There are over 20 little girls out there named after her, based on her life, her choices, and her acts of kindness.  Her message is simple, yet profound;

1 – Look for the best in others and eliminate prejudice

2 – Treat others the way you want to be treated

3 – Choose positive influences

4 – Speak words of kindness not cruelty

5 – Forgive yourself and others.

Imagine if we all headed those 5 simple steps.  What if we started living like this tomorrow?  How many lives would be positively affected? 

As I said, it was an eventful day.  On Thursday evening, I attended a wake for a friend who also died young the week before.  His wake was filled with memories about how this young man loved everyone, made time for everyone, and would give anything he could to anyone.  He would give his time, his talent, his ear, and his smile.  And although this young man will not be remembered in the way Rachel is, I like to think that the legacy he leaves behind, to his 3 children, was very similar; acceptance, love, and kindness.  RIP Gary ‘Clutch’ Flores. 

For more information on Rachel Joy Scott or the Rachel’s Challenge program, click here.

Maryland Getting It Right!

In Wicomico County, Maryland, the school district is responding to a new state requirement much differently than a different Maryland county’s school board that I highlighted this previous post. 

In this case, the initial step is to set-up monthly meetings between the school administration and law enforcement.  This is an often forgotten link in combating gangs.  Although these are two very different agencies, they service the same customer, the community.  And one of my favorite sayings is directly mentioned in the article,

"We have gangs in our communities," Turner said. "And schools reflect what is going on in those communities."

The school board is also taking appropriate steps to train staff and highlight the differences between actual gang members and the “noncriminal cliques.”  This is HUGE!  This shows that this particular school board is taking the time to learn the differences and to not label kids.  Another key measure being taken here is the use of a former offender.  This can bring credibility to the program from the community angle, and provides someone who can give input from a perspective that is different than the school board or police. 

There is one comment mentioned though that could be cause for future problems;

“The policy also stipulates a special file for reports and investigation of gang activity be kept in a secure location at each school. Records on individual students would be destroyed when the student graduates, permanently leaves school or turns 22 years old, whichever occurs first.”

The board needs to ensure that this policy does not conflict with state mandates on database collection, record purging, and juvenile record keeping. 

15 Year Old Felon

The opening line of this story says it all…

“A 15-year-old from Syracuse, Anthony Stewart, was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in a juvenile detention facility by Judge William Walsh of Onandaga County for a robbery in which the teenager took a mere 7 cents.”

While many people are slamming this judge for his decision, I think he did the right thing.  What if the elderly man would have had a heart attack from this?  What if he had hit his head when falling to the ground and caused serious damage?  People have been murdered for less money, or in a local case here not long ago, 2 young men robbed and killed a store owner for her bag, which contained onions.  The simple fact is that this kid made a bad choice and now he has to pay the price. 

So yes, in a previous post I criticized placing labels on kids in school, however placing the label of “felon” in this case is not only justified, it is the right thing to do.  This may actually deter a future youth from committing something like this. 

This teenager was found guilty of first degree, or aggravated, robbery.  In most states, including Texas, aggravated robbery is a first degree felony.  To put that in some perspective, murder is also a first degree felony.  The fact that only 7 cents was recovered has nothing to do with how the law is written.  The judge in this case made an example of this offender.  The offender was given a chance to plead guilty, even after being positively identified by his victim (which happened to be a 73 year old man who was pushed to the ground, punched in the face, and held at (BB) gun point. 

Violence in Fort Worth

Here’s a sad story about an incident at a Fort Worth, Texas high school from this week. 

Schools across the Dallas Fort Worth region started this past week.  Already there have been multiple reports of fights and assaults, from students fighting each other to students assaulting their teachers and principals.  In this case, a 15 year old student was involved in a fight in the school cafeteria which escalated outside.  The student was then assaulted by several students and “stomped into unconsciousness.” 

“Fort Worth police said a school resource officer struggled to pull the attackers off the victim and the officer was forced to taser both attackers as they kept kicking the unconscious boy.”

As school districts across this country are faced with less funding from state and federal budget cuts, instances of violence may be more prevalent.  Schools and their staff are being forced to do more with less.  Thankfully in this case, the school police officer was properly trained in the use of his equipment and was able to end the violence before it turned deadly. 

Cam Newton Tattoos

Just a quick follow-up to my previous post about NBA tattoos and the mindset that they at times create.

There's been much made lately about Carolina Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton.  Cam was the Heisman trophy winner last year at Auburn University.  He was the #1 overall draft pick into the NFL and led his team to a National Championship in his final season.  What Cam Newton doesn't have, is any tattoos or piercings.  The owner of his NFL team has asked Cam not to get any tattoos while he is a member of the team.  This has led to much discussion as to the image that athletes with tattoos portray.  As in my previous story, Kevin Durant and Lil Wayne were both mentioned as well.  I've heard the gang or thug story line at least 10 times this week through various media outlets as well. 

As one writer stated here, ultimately what will matter is how Cam Newton performs on the field.  Whether or not he has tattoos should not matter.  And the same holds true for students.  Regardless of how a student expresses him or herself (tattoos, piercings, style of dress, sexual orientation, etc) the performance in the classroom, both academically and in terms of behavior, should be what matters.

A School Board NOT in Denial

The school board in San Bruno, California, is looking into funding a gang prevention program.  An increase in gang activity in the community and in nearby San Francisco has led the school board president to look into gang prevention programs for her district.  There are several refreshing points about this article:

1.       The school board is looking into this proactively.  While it is widely known that gang activity in larger surrounding cities will eventually impact smaller suburbs, it is usually denied or ignored by those suburbs until something drastic happens.

2.       They are looking into prevention programs.  A successful gang model addresses both prevention and enforcement, but usually funds are diverted to law enforcement first to address crime.

3.       They are looking into an established program which has had success in other areas.  A lot of times when programs like this are explored, there are pre-determined local agencies who get the funding because they are in some way connected to the local school board members.  This does not appear to be the case in this one. 

4.       The program will be targeted at both intermediate and high school aged students.  As you can see from many of my previous posts, programs targeted at the intermediate/middle school/junior high aged kids are very important.  These are the years that kids are joining gangs. 

I’m thinking about contacting the board president.  Either way, I will monitor this story to see what decisions are made. 

I also added another blog to the “Blogs I Read” section.  Nuggets, Gems, & Pearls is a great source for a lot of information.  Go check her out.

Young Gang Members

This Youngstown, Ohio, news story highlights an important fact for anyone working with gangs in schools. 

“The FBI said Youngstown gang recruits are getting younger and younger, with some of them as young as 10 to 12 years old. And a lot of it starts in school hallways. 

"The kids go from that high school to the neighborhood and they are already a gang member or they are already associating with gang members and being recruited," Mahone said.”

Early prevention programs and direct intervention for children who are involved in gangs or drugs can have long lasting, positive effects.  As has been a running message in many of these posts, seek help!

The age range quoted here is generally when students go from 5^th grade to 7^th grade.  Many experts believe that the majority of children begin to experiment with gangs and drugs during the middle school / junior high years.  However, there are a growing number of kids across the country that begin this dangerous lifestyle while they are still in elementary school.  The youngest professed gang member I have dealt with was in 3^rd grade.  A few years ago, my co-worker was doing an anti-gang and anti-drug presentation to a group of 4^th grade students when one of them stood up, walked out of the room and subsequently the school, and went walking down the neighborhood street in search of “cheese”, a deadly mixture of heroin and cold medicine such as Tylenol. While schools are safer now than in the previous years, what happens with these children outside the confines of the school building has a direct impact on them inside the building, which has a direct impact on the safety of the school as a whole. 

Texas High School Affected By Borber Gunfire

Gang activity in school is not the only way gangs affect schools.  Gang activity in the surrounding community of a school has a direct impact on the safety and civility of a school campus as well.  A story run by a Dallas news agency reports that last weekend in El Paso, Texas, students at Bowie High School were holding football practice when gunfire broke out in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, which is right over the border. 

"Bowie High School players preparing for practice on a field a few hundred yards from the shooting said bullets were fizzing through the air and hitting stadium lights."

While El Paso is regurlarly ranked in the top 5 lists of safest cities in the United States, Ciudad Juarez has seen thousands of murders every year as drug cartels battle for position.  Many believe that El Paso's safety ranking is not an actual picture of the city's safety.

Losing Kids to Labels

Yahoo Finance published a story yesterday about entrepreneur Ryan Blair.  On the Yahoo home page news scroll, the title is “From gang member to CEO.”  The story does not mention much about his gang past, just that he was a member of a gang.  There are some interesting ideas about using lessons learned while in juvenile detention in the business world.  What caught my eye, other than the obvious title, is a quote from Mr. Blair regarding his thoughts on the education system. 

“I can tell you from personal experience that some of our brightest minds are being misidentified because of a one-size-fits-all learning environment. Because I had ADD and dyslexia I never got past the 9th grade.”

What if the opposite happened?  What if we took a segment of these students and placed them in gifted and talented programs?  What if we made them proud of themselves, boosted their ego, and gave them something to look forward to when coming to school each day?  What if we showed them how their “Thug Life” hero, Tupac Shakur, actually attended the Baltimore School for the Arts and studied jazz, ballet, poetry, and Shakespeare, and then opened some of the same doors for them? 

A colleague of mine once said that we have to think beyond gangs and develop youth.  Not only gangs, we have to think beyond labels.  We have to look beyond the negatives and develop our children’s strengths.  We have to empower them as young men or young women and teach them that they are valuable. 

Not only are those minds being lost to the “one-size-fits-all” or cookie cutter programs that many schools adopt, students are also lost once they get labeled as needing special education.  While there are some benefits to the additional services given to those who qualify, there are also several drawbacks.  A student who enters middle school (or junior high) without meeting the standards on state testing will be placed in “intervention” programs to help him or her do better on the test.  While this may help, it also hinders that student from experiencing everything the school has to offer.  These intervention classes replace electives.  Many of these students do not even qualify for special education services because the only issue they have is that they are bad test takers.  When they are given the individual assessments to determine what “label” they should receive, they do very well.  When this happens, these kids are placed in intervention or recovery classes and sometimes get labeled, but not officially, as lazy.  However, the majority of these kids are not lazy; they are just wired a little different.  They are thinkers and dreamers and often get distracted by those dreams when they are left alone (i.e. testing).  While math, English, and science are needed, elective classes such as drama, music, and creative writing allow those minds to thrive.  But instead, the school systems label kids, take away their avenues for individualism and expression, and lowers their self-esteem.  And that’s when the truancy, bullying, drugs, and gangs take over. 

Back to School Shopping

Shopping for “Back-to-School” clothes can be an exciting and exhausting time for both parents and students.  While many elementary and middle or junior high schools have adopted uniform policies, many high schools allow students to wear “regular” clothes, as long as they comply with certain dress code guidelines. 

Here are a few warning signs that may indicate gang involvement: 

1.       Unusual interest in a particular color of clothing or logo – Gangs may use specific colors to identify themselves.  Well known colors are red for Bloods, blue for Crips, and yellow for Latin Kings.  However, local gangs who have no allegiance to the national gangs may also use specific identifying colors.  Children who obsess over having all their clothing be a specific color may be involved in gang activity.  The same holds true for specific logos and clothing of sport teams.  Popular symbols include 5 and 6 pointed stars, pitchforks, and crowns.

   2.       Changes in hair style – While getting a specific gang name cut into the hair is an obvious sign, there are more subtle ways.  Children may use various designs, such as stars, to indicate gang affiliation.  However, these types of symbols are also very popular.  Children may also cut specific numbers of lines in each side of the head to represent dominant numbers, for example, 1 line on one side and 3 lines on the other to represent the number 13.  These types of cuts can also be placed on the eyebrows to send similar messages.  See story here.

3.       Personalized or location specific clothing – Stores now sell clothing specific to neighborhoods or states.  While the music industry popularizes this clothing, so do the gangs.  They adopt the mindset, numbers, and slogans symbolized in the shirts.  Students also honor fallen friends or family members through memorial or “RIP” shirts.  Many of these contain gang symbols in the pictures, numbers, and words. 

     

      4.       Accessories – When dress codes and uniform policies are put in place, gangs adapt.  Students will attempt to display their affiliation through accessories, which schools often fail to address.  Parents need to be aware of what their children are wearing as they leave the house.  Beaded necklaces, hats, fabric belts with metal buckles, shoelaces, and bandanas are common ways for gang colors to be displayed. 

Gang clothing trends change and may be different from one place to another, so clothing alone may not be enough to indicate a child’s affiliation with a particular gang, though it can be a clue.  Contact your local police or sheriff’s department to get specific information on the meaning of unidentifiable symbols or numbers that you may see in graffiti or clothing in your area.  If you fear that your child is involved, talk with them.  Let them know that these clothing items can put them in danger and that you will not purchase them or allow them to be worn.  Be the parent!

Denial in Maryland

In Washington County, Maryland, the school board recently adopted a policy which addresses gangs and gang activity in the schools.  However, the assistant superintendent felt it was important to tell the public that this policy was being implemented, not because the district feels it has a gang problem, but because the Maryland State Department of Education mandated it.  He further stated, “We don’t recognize that we have an epidemic of gang activity in our schools.  In fact, we believe we have little gang activity in our schools.”  The policy defines gangs, requires staff to report confirmed or suspected activity, and mandates yearly training on prevention and intervention.  The policy further states that the police need to be notified prior to parents being informed.

Is this modern day denial?  If you have an asst. superintendent publicly saying he doesn’t have a gang problem and this is merely being done to comply with state mandates, how much effort is going to be placed into locating and providing the right training?  If the police are informed of a gang related incident or threat and they don’t act on it, will the parents still be notified?  While the majority of the problems will probably not be that serious, what happens when something “real” does happen and a pattern emerges of prior behavior? 

I reviewed the 2010 census information for Washington County.  According to the data, there is a population of almost 147,000 people and it is 90% Caucasian.  What may be being ignored is the county’s proximity to major cities that are known to have significant gang problems.  Both Baltimore and Washington, DC, are about 70 miles away.  Pittsburgh, PA and Richmond, VA are only 3 hours away. 

Further reading into the situation reveals blatant denial of the issues.  During the past school year, groups of students at local high schools, middle schools, and the alternative school were involved in bullying, theft, and graffiti AND were identified as displaying the colors of nationally recognized gangs.  However, a local gang “expert” was not ready to label this as gang activity and stated that since some of the students were seniors, they would not be returning to school anyway. 

Although it is commendable that the state board of education mandated the schools to enact these policies, it will be interesting to watch what happens in this area in the next few years.  With the proximity to the large cities, obvious gang activity brewing, and the denial of issues by the local powers that be, this area is prime for an awakening. 

For further reading on this click here

Columbine Fact

Just a quick note I ran across while reading that is important enough to share. 

I am reading a book titled "The truth behind death at columbine" by Brooks Brown and Rob Merritt.  Brooks Brown grew up with Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and was the first person to encounter Eric Harris that morning in the school parking lot.  He is also featured in Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine" movie. 

In the book, Mr. Brown recalls the wrath of school shootings that took place in the late 1990's. He said that the incidents were discussed in his various classes at Columbine High School and that,

"kids would make jokes about how "it was going to happen at Columbine next."  They would say that Columbine was absolutely primed for it, because of the bullying and the hate that were so prevalent at our school."

Little did they know how right they were. 

NBA Tattoos

Doesn't have too much to do with schools, but I read an interesting article today on Yahoo about NBA player Kevin Durant actually having tattoos.  As the majority of NBA players have multiple tattoos, Durant's apparent lack made his image less "thuggish" to some.  Further reading of the article, which can be found here, includes this nugget,

“Plus, we've reached a point as basketball fans where tattoos are not an automatic sign of a thug. They're perfectly normal and a common feature of the league's most popular players. LeBron James(notes) is covered in tattoos, but any marketing issues he has are tied to his lack of a championship, not the belief that he's a gang member. That point of view is thankfully a thing of the past.”

As can be seen from the picture, Durant is heavily tattooed.  He just chooses to place his where they are not easily viewed while he is in uniform.  Is this for marketing?  Is it for image?  Who knows.  But the point is, it shouldn't matter.  

Many people have the misconception that a heavily tattooed individual is a gangster or thug.  The image of NBA players took a turn for the worse after Allen Iverson joined the league.  Iverson was one of the first NBA players to wear tattoos as a fashion statement.  His tattoos are heavily talked about all over the Internet.  His attitude and antics, combined with his legal problems in high school, fueled the belief that the NBA had turned into a gangster league full of thugs.  As quoted above, even Lebron James, who before signing with the Miami Heat could do no wrong, is covered with tattoos. 

Tattoos are no longer reserved for gangsters, bikers, and soldiers.  Tattoos have crossed over into mainstream life in a grand fashion.  You can find the most successful doctors, lawyers, CEO's, and law enforcement officers with tattoos.  You can also find their children with tattoos. 

In most areas, to legally obtain a tattoo, you have to be 18 years old or have parental consent.  The problem we face now is that many school-aged kids are getting tattoos from their friends.  The biggest issue here is not that the tattoos are gang related, but the sanitary condition of the equipment.  However, just like the misconception of those speaking about the NBA, just because a student in a school has tattoos, this does not make him a gang member.  Every tattoo means something different to the person that wears it.  

Looking at rapper Lil Wayne, it is easy to see that his tattoos are very significant to him.  Although he now claims gang affiliation in the majority of his songs, Wayne had many of these tattoos when he was an up and coming artist.  In some circles, the tear drops under the eyes means the person has killed someone, in others it stands for years in jail, while in others it is to pay respects to fallen friends.  And for others, they are just popular.  While Lil Wayne and those close to him know the reason for his, we cannot respectfully make assumptions.  Now don't get me wrong, several of his tattoos are easily identified as being gang related, as many of his lyrics are.  Couple that with the success of his music, it is no wonder that kids everywhere want to emulate his behavior. 

But again, just because a person of any age makes the decision to get a tattoo, does not mean they are a gang member.  As educators beginning in the earliest grades teach our children, don't judge a book by it's cover.  Unfortunately, people working in schools everywhere do not always practice what they preach (or teach in this instance).  Making assumptions about children, and then placing labels on them, can do much more damage then them running out and tattooing themselves will ever do.  There is a simple solution though; for parents, teachers, or people anywhere who wonder if something is gang related...ASK!  And if you are not comfortable with the answer, seek help.

To be fair, I can't close this out without acknowledging that there are NBA players who have gang related tattoos.  Yahoo ran a similar tattoo story several months ago about Golden State Warrior guard Monta Ellis getting a large tree tattooed on his chest.  What Yahoo (and the majority of every other website who ran the story) failed to notice or mention, is that also visible in the picture are gang symbols in each of Ellis' forearms.  The "GD" on his right arm and the 6-pointed star on his left are very obvious identifiers of his gang affiliation.