School officials have given another look to Amity's drug prevention / treatment programs following a November 7 incident in which a student lost consciousness after allegedly eating a saltine cracker with a peanut butter and marijuana mixture baked into it during lunch. (See original story below.)
Superintendent John Brady says a presentation to the Board of Education Monday night suggested to him Amity was well-equipped and making progress.
"Nobody at Amity High School is denying there are students who struggle with substance abuse issues," Brady told Patch. "Nobody's denying there's students here who have those problems. But we have a very well-staffed, very experienced array of services that we use to instruct in a preventative way with students and then respond when we see students who have gotten into trouble."
Brady says the school district is prepared, and so far successful, in dealing with drugs at school. Monday night's presentation to the Board of Education suggested about "one to two percent of students," he said -- and added that administrators believe the school has actually seen a decrease in drugs at Amity High School.
"Two or three years ago, when students were searched, we'd find something -- a pipe, a lighter, a cigarette -- and the rate at which [searches] would turn up some material was much higher than it is now. Now, when we have suspicion and we search, we're not finding anything. We believe there's less material and less substances in the school."
Brady says schools introduce mandatory-curriculum programs that deal with the physiological and psychological dangers of drugs in 7th grade, and that higher-level classes addressing drugs tend to have "well-subscribed" enrollment. The school has a "deep, experienced and capable staff" in psychology and outreach counseling, as well as a counselor who works specifically on substance abuse issues.
Brady says experts tell him "they've never seen a high school as well staffed with support staff to deal with students who are experiencing difficulties with substance abuse or have so many preventive programs in place."
Some parents and other residents don't think the district has gone far enough -- and say the problem has gotten out of hand.
"It's getting worse and worse and you've lost control," writes Sue Ellen on Bethwood Patch.
On Orange Patch, kathy asks, "What will it take for people to wake up? Perhaps this could have been avoided...perhaps next time it will result in a death. Very sad."
"Starting to save for private high school now for my kids," says commenter Stacy from Greensprays.
And Brad Marcus asks, "Does a child have to die there before they take this situation seriously?" (See below for more comments.)
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ORIGINAL: Tuesday, 4 p.m.
According to just-released reports, police say a saltine cracker with a peanut butter and marijuana mixture baked into it was responsible for a November 7 incident in which a student lost consciousness at Amity High School.
At about 12:45 p.m -- between the second and third lunch waves for high schoolers -- a student in the cafeteria passed out, becoming "unconscious and unresponsive," police say. According to reports, the cause was the pot-laced cracker, which the student had allegedly bought from another student.
Administration cleared the cafeteria and cancelled the third lunch shift, according to a dispatch from Amity High Principal Charles Britton. High school medical staff and first responders treated the student, who was taken to the hospital, according to reports.
Police said the student who had sold the cracker turned out to have more than one marijuana-laced cracker, and both students were arrested. They are scheduled to appear at New Haven Juvenile Court on November 19.
Students' names and identifying information are withheld due to their minor status.
They will talk about it like it's a medical condition, like any other. They will deny that it effects the rights other students. Nothing new here. It will take the death of a student for them to take a stance.
Also, I'm a student who graduated last year. I never once felt unsafe nor negatively affected by the students who participate in drug use during school. High school is the first opportunity children get to make some of their own independent choices; and Dr. Britton and Dr. Brady do a great job of creating and supporting paths that don't include drugs for 98-99% of the kids. That's a pretty good percentage.
In high school I never knew of a single overdose in school. I also never saw a single fight in school. Yes, we had a drug problem, but even the hard core kids didn't do it during the school day. Pot these days is laced with other more addictive drugs. No I don't go to your school, but my kids do and they see the reality which is NOT 1-2% of the population. It seems much higher than that. My kids and their friends laughed when Dr. brady stated on the news that these incidents don't happen very often. If Amity really wants to be cutting edge, they'll attack the drug problem in a "cutting edge" manner. They'll get ahead of the game. They choose not to. Perhapse if their kids were at Amity, their choices would be different.
"glad to know recreational drug use of marajuana can cause passing out in public places - what if that student was driving? A drug, is a drug,is a drug - legalizing recreational " unless you are privy-ed do the blood test, (if one was even done) you have no idea what actually caused the student to pass out. Taking to much marijuana usually leads to falling asleep, not passing out as its being used here. there are drugs in schools, drugs in prison drugs in life, you want your kids not to do drugs? help them make the right choices, limiting the choices doesn't always work, as evidenced by current recreational drug use by students, or as prohibition didn't work. I'd be less worried about a weed saltine then the all the pain killers and zanax sitting in parents medicine cabinets unaccounted for in all the houses.
pot being more potent now then it was in the 70's and 80's actually makes it SAFER, since you smoke less of it to attain the same high. It being laced with other drugs has been a rumor for a very long time, we heard in the 80's that it was laced with crack, in the 90's and 00's we started hearing it was laced with thinks like cocaine and exstacy. The reality of the matter is that that pot isn't laced, the most common thing sprayed on marijuana prior to sale is actually a mist of water, to make it weigh more. Pot dealers aren't like crack dealers where you dilute the market with high grade and the start selling lower and lower quality seeing your profits increase substantially on each step. Going to back to pot being stronger now then it was in the 70's and 80's, even taking into consideration the large amount of medical marijuana edibles available in medicinal states, its interesting you don't hear about people passing out and being unresponsive from them.
lunch because they all had the munchies.... bunch of stoners! One thing not mentioned here by anyone is: where do kids learn about this stuff? family members? kids in thier neighborhood? at home? How many kids drink booze cause for years theyd watch mom and dad drink wine at dinner, or relax in the yard or on the sofe with a nice cold beer? maybe they steal some shots from dads basement bar? Hmmmmmmm? its probably a good idea not to be chucking rocks if your living in a glass house no?
If we can agree with the idea that it's the school's only responsibility to teach the three R's, then that leaves guess who to fill in the social and moral values, the parents. For those of you who disagree, how much in additional school taxes would you be willing to pay to off-set the cost of such social programs ? NO, teaching and learning are at opposite ends of the spectrum and there will always be those who can't teach and those who wish not to learn, regardless of the price we pay for education.
Second, smoking pot in high school has been going on since the late 1950's. This is not some dangerous new designer drug that has teenagers dropping like flies. It's pot. I'd be willing the bet a great deal of money that the majority of people in this thread smoked pot in high school. Third, the difference between right and wrong, safe and dangerous, good and bad, actions and their consequences, begins with the parents. If your child is engaging in an activity that you disapprove of, it's your job to deal with it, not their teachers'. The school is responsible for keeping your children safe and educating them for six hours a day. Parents are responsible for their lives. It's only pot. Seriously. We're not talking heroin here. There's no devastating, life-ruining, earth-shattering after-effects of smoking a joint or a bowl. Except maybe a junk food hangover.
http://www.wcax.com/story/20231845/police-k-9-to-canvas-colchester-schools
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