Metro Teachers Learn Gang Communication Options

[Gertie Keddle]

Metro Teachers Learn Gang Communication
Behavior Specialists Say To Meet Student On Common Ground, Send Message
Reported By Jonathan Martin
WSMV/Channel 4
Excerpt:


NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Most Thursdays, Meghen Sanders is teaching English at Stratford High School, but Thursday, she was in class learning language that isn't so familiar.

Video: Teachers Learn To Spot Gang Signs

With a growing gang problem in some Metro Schools, the district is trying be proactive by teaching teachers how gang members communicate, breaking down everything from signs, the colors and clothes, code words used in class and the rappers students idolize.

"If you have a student who is in a gang, you need to form a personal relationship with them, get to know them," said Sanders.

"And that's what I like about this training: get as much information as I can, so I can take it back to my school, my community," said Derrick Williams of Brick Church Middle School.

A team of school behavior specialists created the presentation. They emphasized that being in a gang is not illegal and said teachers have to meet these students on common ground first and then send a message.

"It's not about criticizing or whether you're condoning it or judging it; it's about understanding their circumstances, where they come from, why they do what they do," Sanders said.

Article

[katnapper]

I think they need to know gang signs not so that they can understand the poor misunderstood kids but so that the poor misunderstood kids can get in the trouble they deserve to be in for being in a gang.

[BerkeleyUndergro...]

A team of school behavior specialists created the presentation. They emphasized that being in a gang is not illegal and said teachers have to meet these students on common ground first and then send a message.

"It's not about criticizing or whether you're condoning it or judging it; it's about understanding their circumstances, where they come from, why they do what they do," Sanders said.

"You may feel like you have a brotherhood, but after that, real life kicks in," said Brian Howard of West End Middle School. "You're going to jail, you're getting shot at, you're shooting at people."

I hope the "surge" (in part, learning what the enemy's doing and using that knowledge to defeat them) does some good.

This post has been edited by BerkeleyUnderground: Mar 5 2010, 03:28 PM

[evil monkey]

I think they need to know gang signs not so that they can understand the poor misunderstood kids but so that the poor misunderstood kids can get in the trouble they deserve to be in for being in a gang.

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