Meeting about gang problems at Chattanooga schools draws big crowd

Johhny Garth speaks during a meeting of Hamilton County Parents for Safe Education at the Tyner High School auditorium Monday night. Seated in front of him are Hamilton County Commissioners Chester Bankston, left, and Larry Henry, right, and Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, center.

Photo by John Rawlston.

Parents turned out in droves Monday evening to ask school and law enforcement officials for tougher enforcement of gang activities in schools.

A recently formed parent group called Hamilton County Parents for Safe Education called the meeting at Tyner Academy to discuss ways to address gang problems in Hamilton County schools.

Parents asked that gang activities be added to the list of zero-tolerance offenses, which include battery and the presence of weapons, drugs or drug paraphernalia at school. Those zero-tolerance offenses can land students up to a year's expulsion.

Organizers said they don't want kids to be thrown out of school, but that something has to be done to keep students safe.

Danny Brown, one of the parent leaders, said the group hasn't yet decided what changes it will seek. Over the next few weeks, members will meet with parents and residents to come up with a proposal, he said.

"We have no policy to even hand off to the board," he said.

Officials in attendance pointed to poverty, breakdown of the family, loss of Christian values and the absence of positive role models as contributing factors to Chattanooga's gang woes. All agreed that communitywide action is needed.

"We are about to lose an entire generation of youth if we don't deal with it," said Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond, who advocated getting police, faith-based organizations and parents involved in the issue.

Chattanooga Police Chief Bobby Dodd said gang-involved youths are looking for attention, whether it be good or bad.

"They want somewhere to belong and they want love," he said. "That's my opinion."

Dodd agreed with some parents that a zero-tolerance policy could exacerbate problems by taking troubled students out of school and putting them on the streets.

Superintendent Rick Smith said those involved in gangs are simply making a series of bad decisions.

"But the thing we're going to struggle with is why," he said. "Why are they making poor decisions?"

Some in the crowd noted it's sometimes hard to define what constitutes gang activity -- exactly why Smith said he'd want any change in current school policy to be enforceable.

Contact staff writer Kevin Hardy at khardy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.