Welcome back to a new year and new posts on gang issues in education.
I strive this year to present you with not only my information, but also links to other sites that deal with topics pertinent to street gangs. Of course my mission has and always will be to provide educators the resources needed to make sound judgements in dealing with gang members in the classroom.
By the response I have received lately the word is getting out about this issue, which is exactly what I had hoped for. I feel that dealing with gang members in an educational setting needs to be addressed openly. So that street gangs understand the educational community is informed about their dealings and is taking steps to stop and diminish their presence in schools. I am also glad to announce that I will soon begin speaking engagements to various school districts, and agencies that deal directly with gang members in education.
I have a few critics who say I have a doom and gloom attitude about how gangs will stop at nothing and take over our schools and classrooms. I can only say to them that one must truly understand the dynamics of gang membership and their mandates to fully understand why I have this attitude.
In addition, bullying and intimidation, of not only students but staff members, is a constant and the new norm in many school districts across the US, all at the hands of street gangs. Because of this educators need the resources of how to deal with gang members in the classroom. Thus the jest of my mission and what I do to help in this endeavor.
What I can state with confidence is that gangs in education will only expanded if they are not dealt with aggressively. As it is, street gangs are now starting to spread into school districts that have never had to deal with this issue before, are being introduced too it, and quite rudely I might add. If one has never dealt with gang members directly, one can find themselves on their hate list in a hurry. And they not only have a negative affect on every individual on campus from administration to students, but on the community as well.
I hope those of you new to the teaching profession and having to deal with this issue daily will use the blog resources I have made available. I truly want to help anyone struggling with gang members in the classroom to understand that there are strategies that have been practiced to help deal with this population effectively.
I use many tactics in dealing with gang members that are somewhat unconventional and not always in sink with the traditional ways of teaching and dealing with children. And the reason is that gang members are not like your typical everyday student. I have always felt that you must have a different type of relationship with gang members than you would with other students in your classroom.
In future posts I will not only try to delve into the mind of a gang member and what their true functions for being in school is about. But I will also try to give you tips for understanding why they do what they do in school.
Of course in a blog page I can only give you a general understanding of what you as an educator are dealing with as far as gang members go. But for more detailed observations on this subject you can always purchase a copy of my book: Gangs In Our Schools An Educators Guide, and get a thorough understanding of street gangs and their impact on education.
To purchase a copy send $19.95 plus $4.00 shipping and handling, to Gilbert Cabrera, P.O. Box 13591, Las Cruces, New Mexico, 88013. Most books will typically arrive within (2) two weeks of placing order.
Or if you need to order a bulk purchase please contact me directly at the e-mail address below.
Thank you and come again for more information on gangs in education. If you wish to contact me you may do so at cabgil@aol.com.
Gilbert R. Cabrera