Get Schooled

By Dan

November 30, 2005 04:23 PM | Link to this

Hard to discuss without seeing the dress code. But as far as gang related, it is probably pretty obvious as to who is in a gang or not. Such codes are a way to nab those guys, kind of like grabbing capone for tax evasion. It also cracks me up that the article assumes this kid isn’t in a gang because his mother said so. Crack reporting there.

By luvs2teach

November 30, 2005 05:04 PM | Link to this

As a middle school teacher, I tend to see more wanna-bes than real gang members. They dress that way because it’s cool among their group - they are emulating what they see in popular media like movies, music videos and TV.

I don’t know if they’re parents are OK with some of this dress or not, but personally I feel that a lot of popular fashion has no place in an education setting - just like I wouldn’t wear a little black cocktail party dress to my place of business.

I think the school has a right to put in place an enforcable dress code policy, and that students should have reasonable consequences for violating it, but I don’t understand why “gang dress” wasn’t removed from the students record - a simple “dress code violation” should’ve sufficed.

By Karen Armsby

December 1, 2005 08:06 AM | Link to this

Once again Gwinnett County Public Schools is not focused on learning, but focused on the bureaucratic enforcement of their zero tolerance policies and rules, and unable to look at the big picture. This AP student who is doing well in his classes, was probably trying to look cool, and not intellectual, in order to avoid taunts for being smart. See Rick Baidie’s column and blog today. He addresses this issue.

By GW

December 1, 2005 09:06 AM | Link to this

What if there was no school? Where would parents send their precious darlings to express themselves? Wal-Mart? Church? Just another function of the school well beyond learning.

By yesIteach

December 1, 2005 09:08 AM | Link to this

I can’t believe that some people think that how a student dresses is not an important issue. Thank goodness we went to uniforms. Behavior has improved greatly. I do agree that the ‘gang related’ reference should not be there and it should just say ‘dress code violation’.

By C.R.H.

December 1, 2005 09:36 AM | Link to this

This kid knew exactly what he was doing and so did his sorry excuse for a parent. Pant leg rolled up? Headbands and doo rags? Yeah mom, that stuff is all gang related! Oh but we all know your son couldn’t possibly be in a gang because YOU say so. Even if he isn’t in a gang, this parent needs to be concerned that he is a wannabe. This kid picked the fight (constantly violating a policy and acting belligerent when question about his attire) with the helpful support of his grossly ignorant parent. He may be an honor student but I think his attitude spews “THUG”! Good luck getting a job with your attitude…maybe mommy can support you forever!

By MMM

December 1, 2005 09:38 AM | Link to this

I thing switching the record to “dress code violation” but keeping the suspension would have been a reasonable compromise. What you see is an immediately beligerant child backed up by parent with the same confrontational behavior. Goes back to yesterday’s blog about dicipline and how it is the Adult’s responsibilty to present a united front.

By Lee

December 1, 2005 10:28 AM | Link to this

What I see here is a teenager wanting to rebel and see how far he can “push the limits.” The school administrators didn’t help matters by refering to his dress as “gang related.” Soon as they called it that, Mom went ballistic. I, for one, don’t see how a pocket watch is gang related (unless it was on a Tweety Bird chain and we all know that is a weapon.)

If a school system wants to have a dress code, fine. State the code in simple, concise terms. What got them in trouble in this case was the code was vague.

Overall, unless you go to uniforms, you will always have these types of problems.

By yesIteach

December 1, 2005 10:38 AM | Link to this

Even with uniforms, we have some students who push the limit. They will change the color of laces on their shoes, not wear a belt, or untuck their shirts. I know that this sounds trivia to some people, but they will push the limits as far as you let them.

By Leia

December 1, 2005 10:59 AM | Link to this

FYI - all gang members are not in the lower level courses! I’ve taught a couple of Gifted/AP gang-bangers!! Mom may just not want to believe the worst about her baby.

By jim dumond

December 1, 2005 11:10 AM | Link to this

Get a grip folks, gangs do exist and present a problem be it the real thing or wannabe’s emulating them.

The Bloods formed from the Piru gang on 1972 at Centennial High School, taking the Piru Bloods name from “Piru” street in Compton, California. The group formed to protect members from the Crips. Other gangs with the same motive started using the Pirus’ and Bloods’ names to signify alignment with the main gang. Although the Bloods’ membership is smaller than the Crips, they are potentially more dangerous, particularly when present in numbers.

They most often identify with the color red. West coast gang members often use a red bandana and while on the East Coast they use red colored beads. They will also use various graphic styles and terms emphasizing disrespect for Crips.

During the 1980’s, several Crip gangs developed in a Central American Country known as Belize (formerly British Honduras). These gangsters migrated heavily to the United States during the late 1980’s, especially throughout the West Coast and East Coast States like New York, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. In 1989, several large Belizean families arrived in New York in the neighborhood of Harlem. The youth from these families, and some adults, were members of the Crips Gang in Belize. They created the Harlem Mafia Crips in New York City and helped establish several other Crip gangs such as the Rolling 30’s Crips, 92 Hoover Crips and Rolling 60’s Crips by 1995. During the late 1990’s, Crip gangs were well established in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia, Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania and other East Coast regions. Crip members initiate into the gang by committing a crime in front of gang witnesses. The initiation process is called ‘Loc’ing’-In. Female members have the option to commit a crime or become Sexed-In (Sex with several older members). Crips on the East Coast wear blue and clear beads or blue and white beads around their neck but mostly blue jeans and a white shirt. East Coast Crips affiliate with the Folk Nation gangs and have adopted the Folk Nation Symbols. They are enemies with the Bloods.

So you see, tying the hands of schools to enforce dress codes does place your children at risk.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

December 1, 2005 11:33 AM | Link to this

Banning clothing does not solve the gang problem. You don’t have to wear similar clothing to be a trouble maker.

These kids need after school activities that they can enjoy, because many go home to empty houses. Highschool kids get out of school way too early and have too much free time on their hands. Yes, they could use the time to study. However, how many would do so, without their parents standing guard.

This whole gang thing, is not about dress codes. It’s just away for them to identify themselves, outside of the other gangs. We need more boys and girl clubs, within walking distance of schools. They need to be recruited for employment after school. We need to increase mentor programs at the schools.

I agree with the mother, I would have sued to have this slander removed from my childs record as well.

Every store I visited in August for back to school clothing, sold jeans with chains hooked on the belt. The belts had dangerous objects glued on them, that could be considered a weapon at school. I spent 30 minutes trying to remove these objects, after I purchased the jeans - just so my child would not break school rules by wearing them.

My daughter wanted to use a bandanna to tie her pony tail, but it is considered gang related.

The kids need programs to teach them socializing skils and methods to cope with conflicts.

Gangs are classified as social clubs for the poor, when they are considered clique’s in middle class schools.

As usual, the people in charge of our school systems are way off base.

By HSTeach

December 1, 2005 11:45 AM | Link to this

Wow! Look at the attention this gets…I wonder why the kid dressed the way he did in the first place?? Hmmmmmmm

By intheknow

December 1, 2005 11:50 AM | Link to this

No, you are way off base. I guess you have never been in a situation where gang members were fighting. Usually they fight over and imagined ‘dissing’ by the member of another gang. They don’t care who gets caught in the middle or where they are fighting. Remember the 4 year old who was killed? We need the rules at school to make sure that we are all safe.

By no name

December 1, 2005 11:54 AM | Link to this

I am not an advocate for private schhols, but why do private schools not have the problems public schools have like…gangs,dress code violations, pregnant teens at school,undisciplined students?? Because they have rules you must follow!!!! We never hear those parents complaining about what their kids have to wear..Seems like the roles should be reversed…Public education should be free until you violate the rules then you are made to pay for your education….

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

December 1, 2005 12:04 PM | Link to this

The only reason you don’t hear about Private Schools, is because they do not have to report their issues and they keep it in the family.

Many of the kids in Private school who are kicked out, usually end up in Public school - because no other private school would take them.

My neighbor sends both her precious darlings to private school, but in the neighborhood - they are clearly fighters. My neighbor has to punish one of the daughters on a daily basis for hitting and throwing objects.

It’s not the building that makes the kids act the way they do, nor is it the income.

By intheknow

December 1, 2005 12:09 PM | Link to this

I like the way you think, no name.

By jim dumond

December 1, 2005 12:13 PM | Link to this

Actually it’s because private schools aren’t FORCED to except everyone. They have the priviledge of turning them away.

By Robert

December 1, 2005 12:21 PM | Link to this

I know this may be off topic, but….

I just had a meeting with our new principal. The student behavior has degraded so very much this year, I thought that I would try to express my frustrations to see if anything could be done.

First, when I shared that the student behavior has gotten worse, he was immediately on the defensive. He said that he didn’t like it when teachers said that to him (evidently many teachers have told him that) and he wanted specific examples. So, I proceeded to give specific examples of this. I named specific students and specific days and specific incidences.

Then, he proceeded to say that it wasn’t fair for me to pick out certain incidences and infer those on the entire school!

THIS is the kind of leadership that our schools are getting. Spineless idiots that do nothing except brown nose their bosses. No one wants to admit a problem much less take any corrective measures. If there is a problem that becomes too obvious to ignore, it is always the teachers fault.

And we wonder why there is a teacher shortage in Georgia?????

By Seen it before

December 1, 2005 12:58 PM | Link to this

The gang members that you need to worry about are the ones NOT dressing the part. They are the ones who are bringing the drugs into the schools for sale. They know that if they are put in ISS or suspended for something stupid(like a dresscode violation),it will effect their income. Just because it walks like a duck and talks like a duck doesn’t mean its a duck. When I worked in the Juvi system, I had a student who came across as the typical ‘honor’ student. He was in jail for possesion with the intent to resale and gang activities(i think he was a Crip). When you read his record, all of his teachers gave glowing reviews of his behavior and performance.

Just something to think about…

By jim dumond

December 1, 2005 02:15 PM | Link to this

Something else to consider.

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, could mean it is a duck.

So if we err should it be on the side of a single duck or the whole flock?

By DB

December 1, 2005 03:47 PM | Link to this

It’s also because private schools have uniforms and more students whose parents value education and discipline.

By DB

December 1, 2005 03:48 PM | Link to this

Robert: Good points! This is not only a Georgia problem but a problem throughout the U.S.

By jim dumond

December 14, 2005 11:32 AM | Link to this

Patti,

Maybe time to revive this one.

Seems 90% of the parents don’t care enough to respond to the question.

I’d say that’s about the same percentage that don’t taake the time to vote.

Personally I think the uniform issue was, stupid to start with, but the fact that parents don’t care one way or the other just really sets me off.

90% don’t care what’s going on in school? That’s deplorable, discusting aand down-right ignorance.

No wonder our BOE does as they please, nobody cares!!!