5521 - GANGS/HATE GROUP

Gangs/Hate Groups which initiate, advocate, or promote activities which threaten the safety or well-being of persons or which are disruptive to the school environment will not be tolerated by the District. The Board believes gangs or gang activity, hate group or hate group activity, create an atmosphere where violations of District policies and regulations as well as State laws may occur.

Incidents involving initiations, hazings, intimidations and/or related activities of such group affiliations which are likely to cause bodily danger, physical harm, or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm to students are prohibited.

The Board directs the administration to establish regulations to ensure that any student wearing, carrying or displaying gang/hate group paraphernalia or exhibiting behavior or gestures which symbolize gang/hate group membership or causing and/or participating in activities which intimidate or affect the attendance of another student will be subject to disciplinary action.

Training, to provide increased awareness of the threat to the safety of students, staff and school property which gang/hate group- related activity poses, will be provided by security on an as-needed basis. Presentations will provide training in current identification symbols used by those involved in gang/hate group-related activity and will include things such as the identification of hand signals, apparel, jewelry and/or any other pertinent gang/hate group-related information.