Re: REF: Sagging pants...

[Betty Dawn Hamilton <bhamilt@TENET.EDU>]

> I am curious about this sagging pants business.  I would like to find
out the original trend-setter for this "style".

Hello Earl and Group,

I'll explain about the "gang" idea in sagging.  We had a gang awareness
program when we began our "0" tolerance for gang activity.  The local
probation officer (mainly for young people) and his side kick conducted a
training session to help us to know what to look for.  One was gang
writing -- graffiti type of writing of a specific type.  If ANY book
covers had such, the covers were taken and put on file.  If there are
tattoos with gang symbols, students must wear long sleeve shirts or cover
the tattoos with elastic bandanges.

Their explanation about sagging was that when gang colors became
recognizable and were outlawed by various entities, the students began to
wear shorts sporting gang colors.  The pants were allowed to sag and
shirts pulled up at strategic times to show their colors (their shorts).

All of this was explained to students and they were told that if they
didn't want to be linked to gang activity, they should not sag or do
other things that would cause someone to suspect gang affiliation.

My school is not harsh.... no student is accused of gang activity until
they have shown enough evidence to be honestly suspected.  For example,
if gang writing shows up on a book cover and the student did it
himself/herself, the cover is taken, notes are made and a file is
started.  Every time some evidence of gang behavior takes place with that
student, more is added to the file.  Only after repeated instances are
his parents called in for parent, student, administrator conference --
and then it goes from there.

Betty
                                .----.
Betty Hamilton, LRS             |    |                701 Cub Drive
bhamilt@tenet.edu           ____|*    ~~~~~~.         Brownfield TX 79316
Brownfield High School      \               |         (806) 637-4523
                             \_/\        . /
                                  \     {
                                    \  }
                                      ~