Immigrants Warned of Gangs’ Draw for Youths

Language barriers, the struggle to earn a paycheck--as if life in a foreign country was not daunting enough, immigrant parents also face the prospect of their children being snatched away by the lure of the street.

In Spanish, they are called pandillas, but it is here in the United States where youth gangs flourish, with local monikers such as Val Verde 13 and Newhall 13.

About 50 Latino parents met Saturday at Castaic Elementary School to learn about the pull gangs can have on their children in a Spanish-language seminar sponsored by the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Migrant Education Program.

“Parents are starting to ask, ‘What happens when we lose control of our children? When they become aggressive and don’t obey?’ ” said Eva Guzman, a Canyon Country mother of two and an organizer of a Santa Clarita Valley support group called United Mothers. “. . . Especially those who come from Mexico, who don’t know the language of their children and don’t know what is going on.”

Although gangs in the Santa Clarita Valley are a much smaller problem than in other Southern California communities, law enforcement officials told parents there is still plenty to worry about.

The growth of rival gangs in Val Verde and in Newhall is creating a generation of youngsters pitted against each other, say local Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies.

“The troublesomeness of gangs goes up and down here,” Santa Clarita Councilwoman Jan Heidt told the parents at the seminar. “A lot of the Hispanic parents don’t know what the kids are doing.”

The potential for violence and drug use by young people who join gangs is what brought truck driver Jorge Martinez, who moved his family from Mexico to the United States six years ago. His four daughters range in age from 3 months to 13.

“They are girls and I didn’t know that girls could be in gangs until I heard today,” said Martinez, who is from Guadalajara. “I worry about them. I work long hours at my job and I might have to find other work so I can spend more time with my family.”

Like many other Santa Clarita Valley residents, Martinez had hoped his family would be far removed from gang trouble common in urban neighborhoods of Los Angeles. But after the seminar, he said resignedly: “Even here there can be problems.”

Parents were alerted to the styles of dress worn by local gangs, were advised to keep a close eye on their children’s friends and were urged to become more involved in their school work and activities.

William S. Hart High School Principal Lawrence Strauss said students can cement their gang affiliations as early as elementary school, especially if they are mirroring the behavior of older siblings or relatives.

“Three boys were fighting at the Santa Clarita Family Development Center and when a teacher broke it up, they told her they were part of a gang they called Los Primos,” Strauss said. “The boys were 4 years old.”

To keep a closer watch, Guzman told parents to visit their children’s school and volunteer their time even if they do not speak English.

She told parents they are most responsible for laying down rules for the children to follow.

When her daughter, who is now 19, was flirting with joining a gang and began wearing only black gang garb, Guzman said she finally tossed out the clothes and refused to buy any more for her daughter.

“I said, ‘I won’t have you dress like that,’ ” said Guzman. “Go to school naked, but I won’t buy you any clothes like that.”

Such discipline can work only when it is backed by demonstrations of love and caring, Guzman said. Her daughter finally passed that stage and is now entering college.

“It is difficult to be a parent,” Guzman said. “But you must never be afraid to come to your child’s school to help. . . . Women who think they must only stay at home to work and wash need to come to school. Leave the wash for a day.”