County takes up gang issue

The subject of alleged gang activity has dominated conversation at the city level in recent weeks.

[Valerie Batten]

I am originally from that town, and if they would crack down on the kids at that school then maybe they would get somewhere. They might if they would just leave all the one's alone who's famillies don't have that much money, and start focusing in on all the kid's who's parents do have money. That is where all of the drugs come from. I mean haven't they opened their eyes yet? Everyone there is to stupid to see it, or they just don't want to.
I can say that there is a good percentage of drugs that pass through that school, before they actually get on the streets of pearson. Hello ATCO, open your eyes, and you can help get rid of all the bullshit.

[Douglas citizen]

Drugs and football games are the Vidal essence of Coffee County. Drug sales provide the income for most of Douglas Citizens and the lowering of educational standards. Many if not all of our Sheriffs have had their filthy hands in the purchasing and distribution of Marijuana in this county… but they did not act alone. Many of the familiar faces and names financially support the drug trade. Football, football, football…. thanks to football half of our high school faculty is paid from the profit of the football season. With out the football season, we as a county could not afford to pay for our children’s education. How sad can we get?…This sad, we have no standards for who will be chosen to be on The Coffee County’s Board of Education. Only two out of the five plus representatives on the board have a College Education.
GANGS have always been an issue in Douglas GA, but no one with wealth and power has the time to focus on real problems. It’s the poor and uneducated that has to face the problems of gangs and gang members.
In the past few weeks has been a prime example of ignorance. A former gang member has been a target of a “gang hit” or killing. He was enrolled to the Alternative school and discharged from the Coffee High School football team. Parents have been given false information about the ex gang member and the safety of their children. As of today the death of an innocent woman will give the corrupt Sheriff Dept. and the Broad of Education motivation to finally address the problem to the beast of their ability… which doesn’t say much. And as of today the boy or ex gang member is back in public school and back on the football team he is also living with one of his coaches. After his attraction of guns being brought to school a few weeks ago he is back at school. This County has issues and they need to be addressed “Sheriff” and “Board”. If I, a 19 year old college student can see it why cant you?

[concerned parent]

Douglas citizen wrote:

Drugs and football games are the Vidal essence of Coffee County. Drug sales provide the income for most of Douglas Citizens and the lowering of educational standards. Many if not all of our Sheriffs have had their filthy hands in the purchasing and distribution of Marijuana in this county… but they did not act alone. Many of the familiar faces and names financially support the drug trade. Football, football, football…. thanks to football half of our high school faculty is paid from the profit of the football season. With out the football season, we as a county could not afford to pay for our children’s education. How sad can we get?…This sad, we have no standards for who will be chosen to be on The Coffee County’s Board of Education. Only two out of the five plus representatives on the board have a College Education.
GANGS have always been an issue in Douglas GA, but no one with wealth and power has the time to focus on real problems. It’s the poor and uneducated that has to face the problems of gangs and gang members.
In the past few weeks has been a prime example of ignorance. A former gang member has been a target of a “gang hit” or killing. He was enrolled to the Alternative school and discharged from the Coffee High School football team. Parents have been given false information about the ex gang member and the safety of their children. As of today the death of an innocent woman will give the corrupt Sheriff Dept. and the Broad of Education motivation to finally address the problem to the beast of their ability… which doesn’t say much. And as of today the boy or ex gang member is back in public school and back on the football team he is also living with one of his coaches. After his attraction of guns being brought to school a few weeks ago he is back at school. This County has issues and they need to be addressed “Sheriff” and “Board”. If I, a 19 year old college student can see it why cant you?

as a parent of a child in the high school system i find this subject to be very troubling. being a CONCERNED parent my research has shown the above quote to be true. the proper authorities need and must take immediant action. to insure our childrens safty.

[jenny carver]

i am a teen in douglas georgia. im 17 and the gangs are so bad i get worried about going to town. i have a little sister that is 14 i've got to worry about when she goes out. she likes to go to jon's sports park all the time. now there are gangs up there there was a shooting up there. something needs to be done. we are loseing our future adults. if we dont do something we will lose our friends and children to those that are still kids there self. one nite i had went to a block party where there was alot of teens and adults once i got there people was screaming some boy that was in a gang called the white tee shirt boys had beat a boy from out of town in the head with a chair we thought the boy was dead .we called the po;ice not one cop showed up. one of my close friends was in the white tee shirt boys and he helped the boy up and took him to get help. you see not all of them is bad but if we dont reach them in time they will be.

[Jack Moody]

concerned parent wrote:

<quoted text>
as a parent of a child in the high school system i find this subject to be very troubling. being a CONCERNED parent my research has shown the above quote to be true. the proper authorities need and must take immediant action. to insure our childrens safty.

Hi all, just to add my thoughts on this disturbing situation. The root of the problem lies with the parents of these "gang" members. God's Word says to bring our children up in the ways of God. Parents have left God out of child rearing, and has let society teach thier children the ways of the devil. The only way this situation can be turned around is by turning to God for guidance. I will be moving to the Douglas area in 2010 and will be urging our Churchs to get involved in helping to stamp out this type of behavior. We need to be in constant prayer for these lost souls.

[big john]

jeewhiz jack,open your eyes and get it together,,,parents dont have the authority to "kickass"anymore.the kid tell the school hes being mistreated at home,family and children tell the parents to back off,in the mean time the kid laughs at mom and dads old fashioned ways"you cant make me do anything i dont want to do".the kids are in control thanks to the courts.and dont talk about the bible being the answer,,,,it aint like it was back in 1950.

[Jack Moody]

big john wrote:

jeewhiz jack,open your eyes and get it together,,,parents dont have the authority to "kickass"anymore.the kid tell the school hes being mistreated at home,family and children tell the parents to back off,in the mean time the kid laughs at mom and dads old fashioned ways"you cant make me do anything i dont want to do".the kids are in control thanks to the courts.and dont talk about the bible being the answer,,,,it aint like it was back in 1950.

You're right, you may not be able to put a belt to them the way I did my kids, but you can surely bring them up with strong biblical morals. And yes, it may be difficult to change the older aged kids, but if the adults would live their lives by the bible and seek God's help anything is possible. And just think, if we started raising our youngest in a Christian home, we could look forward to a new generation that served God and not their own sinful whims. The bottom line here is to seek God first, then He will take care of the rest! Jack Moody

[just cant]

Oh yes you can take a belt to them, if you care enough about how you want them to raise, not rise up. My child has gotten a belt a few times that she needed it, and she knew that she needed it. I really believe that she wanted me to act, and I love my child, so I did and it hurt, probally myself more the her. but she doesn't have to be told twice to do something. Oh yes and she and I go to church, every week. God bless.