Series 5000: Students

5131.9 Gang Activity or Association

Gangs which initiate, advocate, or promote activities which threaten the safety or well-being of  persons or property on school grounds or which disrupt the school environment are harmful to  the educational process. The use of hand signals, graffiti, or the presence of any apparel,  jewelry, accessory, or manner of grooming which by virtue of its color, arrangement, trademark,  symbol, or any other attribute which indicates or implies membership or affiliation with such a  group, presents a clear and present danger. This is contrary to the school environment and  educational objectives and creates an atmosphere where unlawful acts or violations of school  regulations 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 Superintendent will establish procedures and regulations to ensure that any student wearing,  carrying or displaying gang paraphernalia, or exhibiting behavior or gestures which symbolize  gang membership, or causing and/or participating in activities which intimidate or affect the  attendance of another student shall be subject to disciplinary action. 

The administration will provide service training in gang behavior and characteristics to facilitate  staff identification of students at-risk and promote membership in authorized school groups  and/or activities as an alternative. 

Legal Reference:

Connecticut General Statutes 

7-294l State and local police training programs to provide training on  gang-related violence. 

7-294x Council to provide training to public school security personnel. 

10-16b Prescribed courses of study. 

10-221 Boards of education to prescribe rules. 

29-7n Record and classification of gang-related crimes. 

10-233a through 10-233f re in-school suspension, suspension and expulsion. 

53-206 Carrying and sale of dangerous weapons. 

53a-217b Possession of firearms and deadly weapons on school grounds. Tinker vs. Des Moines Community School District (393 U.S. 503. 1969). Jeglin v. San Jacinto Unified School District (827F. Supp. 1459-C.D.Ca. 1993). 

Olesen v. Board of Education School District No. 228 (676F. Supp. 820- N.D. Ill. 1987). 

Policy adopted: February 12, 2018 THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Thomaston, Connecticut