GASTONIA, NC - Gang prevention or student discrimination? Several families accuse Gaston County Schools of going after kids within the Latino community.

The district says it doesn't tolerate gang activity. It asks targeted students accused of being in a gang to sign contracts which admit to such activity. Almost no proof is presented by school officials and due process is limited.

Parents say this policy by the school system is taking away their children's civil rights.

"She had a gang contract there, and then she told me to sign it, and like my mom wasn't there," said Bessemer City Middle School student Edgar Valentin.

The story of the 11-year-old is similar to that of two other HIspanic families. Several kids say they were intimidated by Gaston County Schools, as officials demands signed contracts. They had to  promise not to participate in a gang, or else face suspension.

The students were targeted because of suspected gang activity and not based on solid evidence.  If the kids refused to sign, often the families were threatened.

Valetin was told police would, "deport my mom back to Mexico."

"I ain't going to sign no gang contracts," is what former Bessemer City Middle School student Enrique Avila told school officials. Their response, according to Avila, "yes or we're going to deport your mom or dad."

Edgar and Enrique say they were forced by Bessemer City Middle School administrators to sign  contracts without their parents present.

Both Edgar's mom and Enrique's father don't understand how that can be done without their permission. Enrique's father didn't find out until after the school suspended his son for ten days because he wore a rosary to school, and had previously signed a contract admitting to gang activity.

"i wear it because my mom bought it for me," said Enrique. He also denies being in a gang.

In an email sent to FOX Charlotte, the Gaston County Schools superintendent says "a gang contract is used as an intervention tool to provide help for a student who might not understand the consequences of joining a gang."

But Alexandra Ventura, a mom of two GCS students forced to sign the gang contracts, said the document is used more like a discrimination weapon. Specifically, she said Bessemer City High School Principal James Montgomery targets Hispanics.

Her oldest son Brayan was expelled from school after signing a contract and later accused of being a gang member. The school did not present the mom any proof.

The district says an interpreter is made available to parents if one is needed. But they didn't tell Ventura the school's expulsion could be appealed to the school board. When Bessemer City High demanded her other son, Henry, also sign a gang contract, she feared he too would be targeted.

Despite GCS saying contracts are written in English and in Spanish, parents are told that if they don't agree with the document, their kids can't return to class.

The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into Gaston County Schools. All three families and a community representative fighting their cause are scheduled to meet with the GCS superintendent on Friday.