Head Space Daily Words...

Yesterday morning, with a view to my eldest son starting Secondary school in September, I attended a meeting about gangs, which was an eye opener to say the least. The advice was, if he starts speaking in a patois style and language you don't understand, it may not be down to a testosterone surge and discovering the harder end of hip hop, but could signal gang activity. We were advised to regularly search our kids' rooms, the thought being that whilst they are under your roof, you have a right to know. They may be harbouring guns, knives and other contraband. Finally, don't let them wear hoodies as it sends out the wrong message to kids already in gangs. We live one postcode from East Dulwich, don't always buy our bread in a plastic bag and our son knows right from wrong but according to the lady who took the session, gang life does not discriminate. She ran off stories of kids from 'nice' homes who are now destined to never leave their postcode area due to gang involvement. I felt quite shaken by what I had been told and by my blinkered naivety. Thinking about it later, the thought occurred to me that most gang members are unlikely to be attending school but it's not Grange Hill is it...