How many parents do we have here?

[DirtyBlackSocks]

This whole situation is new to me - and I'm trying to get as much advice as I can before taking any drastic measures.

First off, we live around Los Angeles, CA - in a fairly gang related territory.

Three days ago my 10 year old son came home reporting that one of the kids had showed him some pot and that the kid was getting a group of kids together to smoke it after school.

The kid in question is no stranger to us - his parents are separated drug addicts, he's been held back in school, almost was taken away when their new born tested positive for meth, but I digress.

I told him the right thing to do is not always easy to deal with after the fact, and he decided that it should be brought to the Principle's attention. (Something I was going to do either way.)

After a phone call with with the Principle, where I was very adamant about my son being left anonymous in this - he was called over the school's loud speaker to the office.

Making excuses to the kids for the rest of the day about why he was at the Principle's office has my son conflicted - and I've told him it might be better to just come forward and tell these kids that he's the one who told, and that drugs are bad. This moral issue is a bummer, but it's not my major concern.

Him and these kids have history together - when we first moved here he would have them over, until I noticed a lot of bad behavior and separated ties with them.

Last night my son received some voice mail messages stating "I'll see you at school tomorrow...inaudible...you gonna die."

My son's cell phone was off at the time these calls were made, so there is no call history of who it was, but we know who it was based around their voice. His parents are drug addicts who don't care about him, and I don't think it's really my responsibility to be parenting some one elses child - though I'm still going to discuss it with them later on today.

I'm taking this voice mail straight to the Principle and demanding something been done for my son's safety - I take this very seriously, as does my wife.

What I'm wondering from those of you who have dealt with anything similar like this, or those of you who are now in law enforcement, is if I should be involving the police in this or taking any other actions to make sure my son is safe.

Any advice is appreciated on the matter, I post it here on this forum because I know I can get reliable information from most of you.

Am I over reacting?

[cams]

You're not over-reacting at all. If you know who made the calls, go directly to their house/apt, and stomp the shit out of the first adult who answers the door, male or female. Fuck it. Make a point real quick.

When the little fatheaded kid comes running out of his smoke filled room to see what's going on, tell him he's next if he doesn't straighten the fuck up.

Cops may come looking for you later, but they'll think it was pretty cool, so will your kid.

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Ranger Cams,

As great as that would be, the line of work I'm going into would be squashed if I have any violent offenses on my record. Not to mention that would put my entire family's well being in jeopardy. We live on a street where our side of the block is regular people, but the other side of the block are drug dealers and gang members.

I don't know how affiliated this kid is with gangs, but with the way he talks - he's definitely got family members who are.

I do know a couple of cops who live in the same neighborhood, though. I'll be talking to one of them about this too, and finding out about what kind of people their family members are - I just want to make sure I'm getting all angles straightened out before I take any action here.

These are 10 year old kids, it blows my mind.

[cams]

No quarter. If you're worried about your job, then don't get caught. If people don't start fucking these little shitheads up in return, you'll lose your entire neighborhood. One after another after another. They're no better than cockroaches in my eyes, and should be treated as such.

Granted, I'm being a little sarcastic and I know you're actually seeking serious advice here, but these little motherfuckers are running rampant because people are afraid to tell them to shut the fuck up and sit down when it's called for.

You're best off talking to the cops in your neighborhood then. If you're that worried, move your family out of there, expensive, yes, but what value do you put on your family's safety.

"Someone once asked me, 'Why do you carry a gun?' " I replied, "Because a cop's too fucking heavy."

Think about it.

[Caruthers]

First. I commended my kid when this subject came up and discussed the only option: ostracize the kid(s)
Second. I showed up on the parents door stoop. I let them know, what had been said and done. Did not go over real well.
Third. I let the local LEOs know what I had done and why. They ( the family ) have a history with the local PD. Small town PD.... all know me.

I asked several of the other parents in the small group affected to talk with them and their kids. Two showed up with their kids. I talked to the parents and kids together then the kids separately.

I could give a flip if I piss other parents off......... or even the school dist. They are my kids and my responsibility.

Go right pass the minions at the school...........go to the School Board, rattle their cage.

The point to the parents was. "We can raise a village idiot or kids with our own values."
To the kids was. "Yall can be cool for a little while by following trends or be cool all your life by being the leader; in doing what is right; even when its not the popular thing." "If you want to be apart of and friends with our family; you will try to do the right thing."

Yes its being judgmental and the hell with the adults that seek the lowest common denominator with kids. They aint dumb...just doing what the "media" shows them to be "cool".

Get them involved (all the kids you can affect)....in to a role of responsibility and then show them an example of leadership. Yes its long hours and perseverance. The local PD/FD can help you with the "civics" of the population. You set the example, get other parents to commit, engage the PD/FD to help.

Move to a rural community and get into FFA or 4H. The problems are still there, but not in volume.

[Ranger Ron]

Put this in LEO hands but remain vigilant. This was a predictable situation considering the circumstances.

And then…… I would be straight up that fucking principals ass full force and unlubed. The school has put your kid in a situation.

And last, move out of the ghetto. Living there makes for cool movie heroes but is not conducive to raising a family.

I think I will have to fall in behind Norm. The most important part of it is getting the stupid principal straight!!!!!! THEN get your family out of there no matter what it takes.

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Had a visit with the principle this morning. Turns out the information my son gave me was a bit skewed.

They took him into another classroom and talked to him in front of other students! Fucking bullshit.

Ripped into the principle about what the definition of anonymous is, let her listen to the voice mails with death threats and her reply was "Usually these things are more bark than bite, but we'll look into it!"

WTF am I supposed to say to that kind of shit? Walking my son to class after our meeting I saw the kid who made the phone calls and pulled him aside, intimidated the hell out of him with a quick chat about what would happen if he so much as looks at my son the wrong way.

Talked to one of the police officers who lives around our neighborhood - and he assured me he would be personally talking to this kids older brother, who is a gang member, about all of this.

I'm trying to keep a level head and not do anything that's going to get my family tied up. Called the police department up and they said I had the option of having an officer come out and take a report from my son about it. I'm going to wait until the end of the day to see how my son did today in school before I do anything else.

Thanks for the replies Rangers - any advice that any parent on this site thinks up in the mean time is appreciated.

EDIT: As far as moving out goes, it's just not possible right now. What's even more bullshit is if some one does threaten me in the state of California on my own property I can't shoot them! You have to announce yourself, then try to flee your own home before you can do shit to an intruder legally.

I'm going to ask the officer I know if he can see about pulling strings to have some one patrol our neighborhood more often.

[DirtyBlackSocks]

You're absolutely right Ranger Zonk.

I have made sure that the officers in the area, as well as all parents who are not gang affiliated are watching out for my son and my family - I should have left that in there. The word is out.

As soon as my son and my wife are home we're going to discuss this and take action. It's very hard from a civilian point of view to understand what you've just illustrated without being told flat out. We don't see the negative shit that happens in society all the time, and so we take it too lightly.

I'm just really fucking stressed out over this shit - I shouldn't have to put up with some wannabe hard ass kids bullshit, and the top priority in my life is my family - so this hits home harder than anything I've put up with in a while.

[Earthpig]

Zonk is 100% on target. Listen to him. Your Principal is a complete idiot. Google up every school shooting you can find, where the MO was to get back at a "snitch." This Principal of your is pretty much guaranteeing that your son gets some retribution. I would be EXTREMELY concerned and would act accordingly.

Kids don't understand the kind of 'finality' that violence can bring. They play video games all day, where they assault cops, run over innocent bystanders, and shoot people in the face. It's an easy fix for an Alpha Dog challenge. Beyond that, they just don't get it. Take a look at all the school shootings in the past 10 years. It's unreal. The fact that this shitbird is actually in a gang only compunds the danger.

RLTW
EP

[Bravo57]

DirtyBlackSocks,

You are getting awesome advice from current and former LEO's.

[K.Ingraham]

Do you have a lawyer?
Something on a letterhead from him/her advising the principle that her reaction/action concerning this matter is being closely watched just might scare her into effective action or something. Slightest thing happens to your kid, her best hope should be that you'll only be going after her job.
Keep a log of every action you've taken and when.

Listen to the Kalifornia cops here.

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Thanks again Rangers.

My son started doing some weird shit with his eyes this evening, rolling them to the side and cocking his head. He said he couldn't help it and I took him straight to his pediatrician - after a discussion in private he's developed a nervous tic and the Doctor thinks it's related to all this stress and "may or may not go away".

Don't I feel like a sack of shit.

I have an officer set to come over tomorrow and get a statement from him - I was told it's the only way they can officially file a report on the case.

But what the fuck, my kid's getting a complex over this and looking like he's got tourettes syndrome. The peds doctor told me expressly to keep him at low stress over the entire weekend.

Ranger Zonk, does delaying the report until Monday have any bearing on future ramifications, that you can think of?

I'm going to crucify the fucking principle over this shit with the board of education.

On another note, the ring leader kid (the one with the pot) was expelled from the school.

EDIT: Ranger Zonk or any other LEO's - do they actually have to take a statement from my son personally to get this filed, or is there a way to leave him out of this process from here on out?