VENTURA : Youths Learn How to Avoid Gangs, Drugs

The seventh-grade students at Balboa Middle School in Ventura are learning to BE COOL.

For the next seven weeks in their reading classes they will study how to avoid drugs and gangs in a program taught by a police officer.

BE COOL, which stands for Become Educated to Control Our Own Lives, is a new program offered by the Ventura Unified School District as a follow-up to DARE, the drug-prevention program taught to fifth-graders.

“We believe it’s the only such program in the state for middle school,” said Ventura Police Officer Juan Reynoso, who teaches at the city’s four middle schools.

In the first class meeting Reynoso focused on the law. “Give me some examples of school rules,” he said.

“No running or fighting,” said Keri Brundage.

“No shirts that advertise beer,” offered Julie Gregorchuk.

From school rules the lesson turned to juvenile offenses such as curfew violations, running away from home and truancy.

“They feel that it’s unfair that an adult can get away with curfew or tardiness. . . . What we’re trying to do is let them know that up until 18 they have these certain rules that only apply to juveniles,” he said. “They do have more rules put upon them so they can stay protected.”

The curriculum includes information about drug use and abuse, peer pressure and gangs.

Territorial gangs are loose-knit clubs without leaders, but they exist in every part of Ventura--in upper-middle-class as well as poor neighborhoods--he said, citing the skinhead Evils, the Pierpont Rats and the Ventura Avenue Gangsters.

School staff members are pleased to have the program on campus. “The more positive influence we can have on middle-school students the further ahead we’ll be,” said Jan Timmons, a reading teacher.

Balboa Principal Hank Robertson shared her enthusiasm. “This is a continuation and re-emphasis that it’s important to make correct decisions, to diffuse the animosity and gang-like activities,” he said.

Reynoso teaches three classes and is available the rest of the day to visit eighth-grade classes, counsel individual students and mix with youngsters during lunchtime and breaks.