6424

Gang and Gang Related Activities

6424

The WCPSS does not support or condone gang membership or gang activity.  The Superintendent/designee shall regularly consult with law enforcement officials to identify gang-related items, symbols and behaviors, and provide each principal with this information.

No student shall commit any act that furthers gangs or gang-related activities.  A gang is any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, having as one of its primary activities the commission of criminal acts, or the purposeful violation of any WCPSS policy, and having a common name or common identifying sign, colors or symbols.  Conduct prohibited by this policy includes:

A.

Wearing, possessing, using, distributing, displaying, or selling any clothing, jewelry, emblems, badges, symbols, signs, visible tattoos and body markings, or other items, or being in possession of literature that shows affiliation with a gang, or is evidence of membership or affiliation in any gang or that promotes gang affiliation;

B.

Communicating either verbally or non-verbally (gestures, handshakes, slogans, drawings, etc.), to convey membership affiliation in any gang or that promotes gang affiliation;

C.

Tagging, or otherwise defacing school or personal property with gang or gang-related symbols or slogans;

D.

Requiring payment of protection, money or insurance, or otherwise intimidating or threatening any person related to gang activity;

E.

Inciting other students to intimidate or to act with physical violence upon any other person related to gang activity;

F.

Soliciting others for gang membership;

G.

Conspiring to commit any violation of this policy or committing or conspiring to commit any other illegal act or other violation of school district policies that relates to gang activity.

Before being suspended for a first offense of wearing gang-related attire (when not involved in any other kind of gang-related activity or behavior), a student may receive a warning and be allowed to immediately change or remove the attire if the school administration determines that the student did not intend the attire to show gang affiliation. Reference policy 6400 for disciplinary action.

Adopted:  April 19, 2005