Something so stupid I just have to laugh....... - Page 2

[Greaseball]

So are people getting drunk off these mints?

[AnnMarie]

:LOL No, not that kind of alcohol. It helps prevent tooth decay too.

http://www.xylitol.org/

[pln]

Hi all,

First, I want to say that AnnMarie's posts are coming in fine here...

I'm a hs teacher IRL and although elementary schools seem a little
young for these policies, middle school and high school teachers are
thankful for them.

It's a sad world when chapsticks contain ecstasy and breath
mints are some other drug but it happens. I taught before ds in a relatively
wealthy, suburban high school and there are TONS of drugs in
the oddest forms--water bottles, "iced tea" bottles, etc. You
have to constantly watch out.

It is not merely the safety of the kids but the legal status of the
teacher and the school system.

Many's the time that I've looked at a kid drinking an iced tea
and wondered if that were really whiskey. Marker-sniffing, glue-sniffing,
the list goes on.

Teachers and schools have been sued for "allowing" the students to
commit the drug use when in fact, they did not know this drug use
was happening. In fact, our union even has a statement in our contract
about this issue, safeguarding teachers who would never have known
about the stealthy ways that kids can use drugs these days.

Sigh. I hope that we AP parents can instill a greater sense of values
in our children (and keep a close eye on them) so that when the
teenage (or tween) years come, they will not be tempted by these
self-hurting behaviors.

Thanks,

Priya

[steff]

chapsticks contain ecstasy and breath

What do you mean? Chapstick is made out of ecstacy or empty chapstick tubes are being filled with ecstacy? If it is made out of ecsatcy I mean how much chapstick would you have to eat to actual effect you. I'mm thinking you would have to munch on a alot all day long, no!! I have never heard of this. Strange.

AnneMarie's posts look right to me.
Steff

[pln]

I simply mean that everyday-looking objects are used to transport
drugs, either by simply being containers (like the whiskey in the
iced tea bottles--true story, by the way) or where the object actually
is chemically altered to contain drugs (like the mints). I might add
that a frequently-used drug at raves actually does look like mints.
We had quite a frightening inservice about this issue because it is
so prevalent in the suburbs.

[steff]

Okay,

I wasn't sure if you meant chapstick had ecstacy as an ingredient. I figured that couldn't be but. I can see that happening especially since ecstacy is so HIGH in users. The drug is just soaring and is the most highly used drug out there. I mean we can see why??? I guess schools are gonna have to take procautions I just didn't think elementry would have to worry about it yet.

Steff

[AnnMarie]

Right steff.....but for any school to take so many precautions, not letting kids use chap stick (I'd have bleeding lips if I were in that school!), not drink out of water bottles, etc., is just stupid. As John Stossel would say, "Give me a break!"

[steff]

No I agree with you too. There seems to be no balance now a days. I mean, its getting to the point where even people are sheltering thier children sooo much. But than again society has gotton soooo much worse. I didn't know you couldn't drink out of water bottles.

How do we maintain balance anymore in public relations. I mean you can't do anything anymore without it being questioned by someone. Its all screwed up. One minute you can't spank your children on the butt or hit them at all. Boom, now you can only spank on the butt. Just one ex. but everyone is so indecisive today. It really cuses problems being this way. To alllow bottle water or not to alow it. I mean getting to this point is just pathetic.

AnneMarie you like debating me don't you. :LOL

Steff

[AnnMarie]

:LOL No, actually I knew you agreed. I just reread my post and I can see why you thought I was disagreeing. Sorry about that! The other part after the..... was meant in reply to the other poster.

[Greaseball]

They would never be able to get rid of all the ways a kid might bring drugs to school. What about backpacks? LSD on starburst candies? What about just coming to school stoned? Body cavities?

And then there are "natural" highs like asphyxiation and hyperventilation that kids can do nearly unnoticed in the back of a classroom. This is one war on drugs that can't be won. There will always be drugs and drug users.

[pln]

I do agree that elementary is too young for this kind of stuff.

"There will always be drugs and drug users."

Unfortunately, there will also always be parents who sue the school because
they are not aware enough of their own child's behavior to take responsibility.
Who pays when the school gets sued? What lesson does the child learn when
the only people who are actually standing up to his/her incorrect actions are
then reprimanded by their parents?

"I didn't know you couldn't drink out of water bottles."

Actually, you can. That's why I'm constantly looking at my students' drinks and
wondering if they're legit or not. THe teacher who busted the whiskey in
the iced tea container was actually scolded by the parents in the conference
for trying to gain access into their child's "personal property," even though
she could smell the whiskey a mile away. Talk about denial.

I hope you all are right and we can swing this balance the other way, but
hopefully the parents will also take responsibility for this piece.

I consider myself to be highly AP in terms of gentle discipline in every issue
but this one. If my child uses ANY kind of drugs, the punishment will be
swift and harsh and unequivocal. I wish other parents would do the same.

[steff]

You know I didn't know that schools were being sued!!!!!

If the sghool called me in for one of my children doing any drugs or alcohol I would NEVER blame the school. That is ridiculous.

scolded by the parents in the conference for trying to gain access into their child's "personal property

Are you kidding me!!

Hopefully my children do not do drugs but if they do I will not be this nieve.

Steff

[Raven]

Ok this wasnt school, but I knew a guy who made dope muffins and sold them at college.... Could be done at school too.

I dont understand why there are parents out there who would blame the school for their childs own bad actions - its pathetic!

[cinnamonamon]

At the high school I went to they regularly suspended students when they found empty beer bottles (um...Michigan bottle return, anyone? -- and they were in the trunk cause parent told them to return them after school), aspirin, etc. in their cars in the parking lots -- or cigarettes... They took these drug sniffing dogs through the parking lots once a month. And this was not a rich school, most of these kids were driving their parents vehicles...I mean how often does a parent leave a pack of his/her cigs. in the glove box, etc.?? And aspirin? Come on! Students weren't allowed to go into the parking lot during school hours, so none of this was being accessed unless they did it before or after... kinda like the girl who was told if she had a fight with another girl (off school property after school hours) she would be suspended?? Not that I'm advocating fighting : ! Oh, and yes I have heard the stories of vodka in the water bottles...if kids are going to do stuff like this -- they will just keep inventing ways to get away with it. It's sad that school districts are being sued for it -- how ridiculous.

[Greaseball]

No, you can't stop students from bringing drugs into school. People bring drugs into prisons and drug rehab centers too. I'd say they should just go back to punishing students when they catch them openly using, rather than dreaming up all these other ways the students may be using. What a waste of time.

Remember when schools just educated and didn't police?

[mom2kbeth]

I just saw this thread, and wanted to chime in. I know you are all talking about elementary/high schools, but I was the director of a child care center up until about a year and a half ago here in CT. In CT, you have to have a medication form filled out for the use of chapstick, sunscreen, diaper rash cream ... The form for that doesn't require a doctor's siggy, but you do need a form filled out and current. If you don't have one for your child and there is a tube of Desitin in your diaper bag (remember this is for child care centers) and there is a state inspection, the center will be cited and *could* lose it's licensing. It is absolutely ridiculous! We were once sited for a few of the preschoolers having chap sticks in their backpacks.