Donna St. George
"Penalties for drug offenses weigh heavily on students"
The Washington Post
April 30, 2011
URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/penalties-for-drug-offenses-weigh-heavily-on-students/2011/04/26/AFWde0NF_story.html
Summary: This article was about a high school student, Nick, was caught with a small device used to smoke marijuana nearly a year ago at Langley High School when he was 17. That alone would have meant a suspension, but when the device tested positive for residue, school officials imposed a second offense that was more serious: drug possession.Nick was not allowed back at Langley for the final school days of June. He completed his exams after hours, went to a disciplinary hearing in July and received a punitive transfer to another high school for senior year.And for his college applications, he could not get a recommendation from the Langley guidance counselor who knew him best, his family said.
Intended audience: All readers
Key points: 1. Nick and his father agree that the teen made a mistake and should have faced consequences.
2. But his case shows how disciplinary actions can play out in a highly common class of cases — those involving marijuana — and how the effects can be farther-reaching than may at first be apparent.
3. Transferred students are not allowed to return to their base schools but may e-mail or call teachers and counselors to ask for recommendations, spokesman Paul Regnier said.
Relevance: As the article stated, it is common for high school students trying marijuana. But the consequence would be very heavy on them. Maybe at the time when high school freshmen enter their new school, they should be informed about the penalty of using drugs first.
I find the Virginia School, Langley, to have a tough rule about drug possession. I, myself am against abuse of drugs and alcohol but I am also of the mindset that young people do dumb things. In the case of Nick, he was found with drug paraphernalia but no drugs. I would rather see that, then a bag of "weed" and the pipe. I feel that for a first offense, the student should suffer consequences but not as harsh as what Nick experienced. I believe their are many ways to educate a potential drug user than what this school chose to do. We want to encourage our students to make better choices for their future. Yes, Nick and others need to be held accountable but on their first offense, let's be a bit more reasonable.
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