FIVE TIMES WHEN WORDS FAIL
GANG VIOLENCE IN SCHOOL – The 5 Times When Words Fail.
I talked about the gang culture in the school setting in my last post. What inspired that post, and, incidentally, this one, was an incident at a local high school involving a couple gang members and what I referred to – in the last post – as the Machine Mentality.
Briefly, early in the afternoon a student – who turned out to be a gang member – was sitting in his classroom when another student – obviously from a rival street gang – paused at the window and gave gang member #1 a hand gesture that was obviously a gang sign. Immediately, as if shot from a cannon, #1 exploded from his chair, knocking it over, and ran from the classroom in a mad dash to clobber #2.
From what I understand, #1 was intercepted by security before any violence could ensue and he was escorted to the principal’s office. After a Q&A, maybe a reprimand and a warning against any similar actions, student #1 was released and instructed to report to his next class.
You guessed it. On the way to his class, #1 ran into gang member #2 and without hesitation (I ask you, why should there be any hesitation, any thought about consequences, when two “machines” collide?) they attacked each other. Our gang member #1 ends up in the hospital and suspended and the victor (#2) is just simply suspended. Despite the fact that there were scores of students watching and a handful of teachers, no one attempted to intervene. The students cheered for their favorite fighter, and the teachers stood back until a resource officer and a security officer could intervene (not without a slight injury or two to one of the officers).
My Point? There are effective ways for a teacher or an officer to separate fighting students. I have gone into them in past posts. But any authority figure attempting to verbally defuse the fighters would be running for absolutely no seats. That train had already left the station. Simply put, words are useless. This is an example of—
THE FIVE TIMES WORDS FAIL.
- WHEN THE INSTITUTION ITSELF IS UNDER ATTACK. Reason number one is when the student or subject is destroying school property or in some way is threatening the institution. Physical actions are your only answer. Either disengage and get help or physically intervene.
2. WHEN YOUR SAFETY AND SURVIVAL IS IN JEOPARDY. When the subject or student(s) has entered your PSZ (Personal Safety Zone) uninvited and in disregard for your safety, or is attacking you or another school official, or his or her actions would threaten your safety if you intervened, this is another time when words fail. You must either disengage and get help, or penetrate and stop the subject physically. Words of reassurance or verbal directions can and should accompany your actions, but, make no mistake, you must physically do something.
3. EXCESSIVE REPETITION. If you find yourself having to repeat your commands, requests or instructions more than twice you will be perceived as weak by most students. Trust me on this. C’mon, John. Please sit down,” for example. I strongly suggest you do not make a 3d request. Change your tactics or go physical. Since your school probably would not like “the physical,” change your tactics, but do not repeat verbal requests or directions!
4. RUNNING AWAY. If the student takes flight, there is little words can do to stop him/her.
5. REVISED PRIORITIES. All this means is you are talking with a student and an emergency or exigent event occurs in another area requiring your attention. Your verbal interaction stops right then and there and you attend to the emergency.
Next Post: A young student is murdered a block from her house in Cincinnati, Ohio. Preventive Thoughts.
Until Then. Stay Safe.
Hammer
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Posted on April 1st, 2009 by Harry A Widger
Filed under: Administrators, College, Fighting, Gangs, High School, K-6, People Involved, School Grade Level, School Safety Issues, Security, Students, Violence
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