Gangs in Schools Are a Fact of Life

School gangs are a fact of life and are something which must be addressed and dealt with. It is no longer an option to attempt to ignore the fact that the element exists in public schools as doing so will only allow the problem to grow worse.

So what is a gang? Traditionally gangs were thought of as a group of hard core bikers who had rival groups with which they fought. Where ever they went so did the violence and crime. Gangs fought for territory, there were initiations, rites of passage and punishments for failures. Gangs have always provided a means of acceptance for those who felt they did not fit in other groups. There was, and is, a fierce sense of loyalty, that some one has your back and this is something many youth are searching for.

Gangs today, like it or not, are interwoven into almost every school and many neighborhoods. Traditional and better known groups such as the Crips and Bloods have a long standing rivalry. A recent rise in activity involving Latino gangs such as the Latin Kings, Mexican Mafia, Nuestra Familia, and Surenos have added to the problems in schools. However, there are other groups which have popped up on the radar such as the Aryan Brotherhood, Nazi LowRiders, and Southeast Asian Gangs. Still want to bury your head in the sand? If you have children in school then you better not.

Many people attempt to lessen the threat of gangs in schools by referring to a particular individual or group as a "Wanna Be". In other words, this person just wants to be like a gang member or pretend they are part of a particular gang. However, many times this is the individual who is most dangerous. This individual has something to prove and may feel the only way to get the respect they seek is to fight or commit a crime.