A teen driver whose passenger commits a crime can be charged with conspiracy, even if the driver doesn’t know about the crime, a judge told Prince George’s County parents and students Saturday.

“It’s probably my most difficult decision when I see so many of you young guys: Do I send you to adult court because you think you’re big and bad, or do I keep you in juvenile court?” Herman C. Dawson, an associate judge for the Prince George’s County Circuit Court, told students in his “Guilt By Association” session at Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale.

Dawson was speaking at the second annual Prince George's County Parent-Youth Conference. The conference, organized by the Parent-Teacher Council, is intended to teach lessons like the one about associating with those who may be committing crimes.

Saturday’s event, attended by about 250 parents and students, included workshops about the effect of parental involvement, anger management strategies, and techniques to improve students’ academic achievement.

“We want to enlighten [parents] about their roles,” said Theresa Saunders, president of the council. “When you have increased parental involvement, you have more educational achievement.”

Lujuanda Dixon, whose son is a seventh-grade student at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Beltsville, said she attended the conference to hear the county school system’s plans for the future.

“At one point, I was not satisfied with the school system,” she said. “[Now] I see that the county, that more officials are concerned about our children.”

Dixon, who lives in Laurel, said she now knows who to contact with concerns, the methods schools use to deal with bullying, and Secondary School Reform, the system’s move to implement career-focused academies in all high schools.

Angel Tillery, a 16-year-old junior at Laurel High School, participated in sessions on bullying and legal issues.

“I will tell my friends to choose their friends wisely so they don’t get caught up in something they weren’t involved in,” Angel said.

School board member Carolyn M. Boston (Dist. 6), an advocate for parental involvement in schools, donated funds to help with the conference. Parents must take an active role in their children’s education, from helping with homework to communicating with teachers and principals, she said.

“School systems cannot do this alone,” Boston said. “We have to have the support of the parents.”

abrownback@gazette.net