Wow! So yesterday at work was really great, but when I came in today it was a completely different story. I walked in and my team leader was sitting on the floor on the phone. She looked really stressed out but I didn't really think much of it because I know that lately she has been having some personal issues and I figured it had to do with that. After she got off the phone, I asked her what was wrong and if there was anything I could do to help. She was suprised that I didn't know what was going on.
Apparently, yesterday the girl that she mentors had come to my team leader and told her that she had almost killed someone the night before. This girl is a blood and apparently she had gotten in a fight with a crypt. Now the other crypts would be going after her. On top of all that, this girl had also threatened the substitute teacher the day before so she wasn't allowed to be in class today. My team leader was completely a mess because she had no idea of what to do. If she told anyone with any authority who might be able to do anything, her life would be in danger. However, if she doesn't do anything and this girl gets hurt...or worse, killed my team leader would have a guilty conscience and could be held responsible.
My team leader went to the school library and researched a few things to help the girl get out of the gang. She looked at different programs where the girl could go to seek help. After she was finished, she went to the office where the girl is today and gave the girl the information. About an hour later, the girl walked into our classroom and handed my team leader a note. It talked about how the gang is like her family and she could never leave it because these are her only lifelong friends. She needs them to survive and has to stay in the gang for them.
The principal already knows that this girl is part of a gang and has done nothing to help the situation other than pair her up with a mentor, my team leader. Really, though what can she do without putting her life in danger? She has already been threatened by the girl's aunt who is part of the Mexican Mafia.
As I learn more and more about the situation I am shocked. How does this continue? Why has no one done anything to stop it? I know there are programs in place but why are girls so young (this girl is in sixth grade) involved in such horrific things? She joined in the fourth grade. Why was no one looking out for this girl at that young age? This girl's best friend was killed last year in a drive-by shooting. Why is this happening? This is America...why does this continue? Now that I know all this information, I feel bogged down. I have no idea what to do but I know that I cannot stand still, because he who stands still is just as bad as the person performing the horrific act. We must take action and get to the bottom of it somehow. There's got to be a way. There's got to.
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You didn't mention your age or what grade of school you were in. Does your team leader have an advisor? A hookup to social worker very knowledgable about resources for girls in this situation? A former blood who could show her there is life outside of the gang?
This still doesn't mean the girl would change her behavior to leave the gang.
If she is under 16, would she be placed in foster care? If she is under 16, are there opportunities providing experiences and belonging that she currently gets from being in a "gang family"? Are her solutions of leaving her immediate family any better than staying where she lives now? Can she count on anyone besides her "gang family" to feed her, shelter her when needed, protect her and play with her?
There are no easy solutions. Did you check and see if a community college has a high school program on campus?
I'm not in school. I volunteer for an organization called City Year. It is a youth organization for 17-24 year-olds (I'm 19.) Thank you for the advice. Right now, my team leader is looking into boarding schools for the girl, so we're hoping that maybe that will work out.
ShAiNa