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MJUSD to host gang awareness seminar

Appeal-Democrat - 10/9/2017

Oct. 09--Gang involvement has warning signs, school officials said, and they mostly go unnoticed by parents.

The Marysville Joint Unified School District will be hosting a gang awareness seminar for parents from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.Oct. 25 in the Board of Trustees room at 1919 B Street in Marysville. The school has partnered with the Yuba County Sheriff's Office and two detectives will be leading the discussion.

Leslie Carbah, spokeswoman for the YCSO, said the purpose of the event is to educate parents who have children attending MJUSD schools on how to identify gang members and suspected gang criminal activity.

Carbah said the highest profile gangs in the area are the Varrio Linda Rifa, Yuba City Nortenos, East Marez Nortenos, 6 Blocc Crips, West Linda Trece and the Devil's Disciples Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

Jolie Carreón, the director of student discipline and attendance, said the educational seminar has been an MJUSD staple for about 14 years.

"I think the purpose for us to have it is because a lot of the time parents are unaware if their children are dabbling in gangs," Carreón said. "So we want to expose the parents to this so they're not blindsided if their children do join a gang."

She said students in middle school are often targeted by older high school students who are members of local gangs. She said young students become involved with these groups because of peer influence and the desire to be accepted.

"A normal 16-year-old doesn't want to hang out with a seventh-grader, and if you see that happening that's a red flag," Carreón said. "I think in junior high a lot of kids are trying to find their own way."

She said faculty, staff and administrator training along with dress code policies and the return of a school resource officer ensure gang activity is not openly practiced on MJUSD campuses. She said students come into contact with known gang members outside of school.

"It's really important for parents to know who their children are hanging out with after school hours," Carreón said. "I don't think that initiations are happening at the schools, but I think that they may happen outside of school hours."

She said a warning sign for parents to watch for is a drop in their child's grades and attendance.

"They're not bad kids, some of them are really great students," Carreón said. "I think (MJUSD) does a great job of keeping gang activity outside of school because we care about our kids."

Carbah said the detectives will discuss: the penal code definition of a gang member and a criminal street gang; why and how students join gangs; signs of gang involvement; the importance of gang graffiti and why it's a nuisance; and how to identify gang clothing and gang tattoos.

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