Teach kids not to do drugs, by showing them how to use them
 

[quote:f9e07]Grade 6 class taught to snort cocaine
'My jaw just dropped'

Adrian Humphreys
National Post


Saturday, December 14, 2002
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The parents of a Grade 6 student have pulled their daughter out of a "Substance Use and Abuse" class at a Hamilton school after a teacher gave a step-by-step lesson on how to snort cocaine.

Linda Harley, mother of Caitlin, an 11-year-old girl who attended Chedoke Middle School, said the teacher used white chalk to first draw a circle on the blackboard to represent a mirror or piece of glass, a surface from which cocaine is often inhaled.

The teacher then drew dots on the circle to represent the white powder and students were shown how the dots are pushed together into lines that are then snorted through a tube, Mrs. Harley said.

She learned of Caitlin's class last month when the family was eating dinner.

"We were sitting around the table and asking her about her day. And we ask, 'What did you learn in school today?' And she says she learned how to snort cocaine," she said.

"My jaw just dropped to the floor."

The school and the school board stand by the lesson, saying the details of drug use are essential in preparing children to avoid illegal drugs.

Such a graphic description, however, did not sit well with Ontario's Ministry of Education.

"This concerns us. That sort of display in an elementary school is just not acceptable. We're certainly concerned this is happening in an elementary school in our province," said Dave Ross, a ministry spokesman. Mrs. Harley said she had a meeting with the principal of the school and the teacher.

She went into the meeting assuming her daughter was exaggerating about what occurred or mistaking schoolyard talk for classroom instruction.

"I explained to them exactly what my daughter said to me and the teacher said that was exactly what happened. It wasn't an exaggeration," she said.

She was told the details were needed so the children could easily identify the drug if they are ever in a room where it is in use, Mrs. Harley said.

Mary-Jane Black, vice-principal of Chedoke Middle School, said the blackboard demonstration is not part of the normal lesson plan but was in response to a student's question about how cocaine affects the nasal passages.

"Out of the 160-odd Grade 6 students who receives that particular program, there was only a question from two parents, so it is not a concern," she said.

Chedoke Middle School has 504 students in grades 6, 7 and 8.

She said the health class is one of the touchiest in school because it is where sex and drug education are taught. That is why the school sends letters home to parents explaining the nature of the material to be covered, she said.

Mrs. Harley remains unimpressed. "I don't think it is appropriate. I don't think they need to know the step-by-step, how-to guide of every drug," she said. She pulled Caitlin out of the class and has since moved to Grimsby, Ont., which is not in the Hamilton school district, although the move was not related to her concerns.

"We've talked to the new school and shared our concerns about this and we were assured that things like that will not be happening here. They seemed surprised," Mrs. Harley said.

Jane Allison, spokeswoman for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, said drug education is important in a world where children are inundated with drug-related images on the street and in the media.

"The subject of cocaine is certainly appropriate and fits in with the curriculum expectations. Especially if a couple of things have happened, like questions come up in class or things appear prominently in the media," she said.

ahumphreys@nationalpost.com

© Copyright 2002 National Post[/quote:f9e07]

good read. i remember having dare in my class, and they taught us all kinds of stuff like that. they said things like "when ur high, u see things differently, and feel funny. u also laugh alot, and are confused easily" they gave a message like pot is so much fun, but dont do it. just recently our school had a thing on alcohol, and i remember we had like a game where u put beer goggles on and then u had to do like this childs play toy game. it was fun as hell, and everyone had a good time. it gave off the message like, this is what its like to be drunk... fun isnt it?

hahaha the vice principals name is mary-jane

Personally, I agree with the school. If a kid wants to do drugs there's NOTHING anyone can say to stop a kid from smoking up, shooting up, and/or snorting up. At least if they teach the youth how to use drugs properly we won't get any unwanted accidents from misuse. We were given pamplets on how to use drugs properly in grade 9, like how to create the proper mixture of ammonia and heroin when shooting up, etc. Thank god I haven't had to put these practices to use in life. The real question remains; Why do kids wanna use drugs in the first place?

Damn, why dont they give displays like that during sex ed. Like on Monty Pythons Guide To Life.

They did that up here...... anybody else in here take Family Planning/Managment when in HS?

we never do anything fun in my school. i remember in my health class last year they showed an autopsy film of some guy who smoked. it was fucking sick but i dont think it made anyone want to stop.

Shit...have the kiddies come over to my house, I'll give'em an interactive lesson, and show'em not only now to do it, but how to do it with style.

ed:

Apparently people are dumbasses



(Note: 4 more till 1500)

do drugs, and be cool too! lame

Some kids are'nt lying when they say, "my teachers a moron"

Well, I say the teacher is using his/her initiative. I think the parents are the dumb ones. Well, I'm trying to look at both sides, most of you are right wing well to do males. I grew up in a shitty neighbourhood where drugs were commonplace, believe me I've seen my share of O.D. victims and addicts. So, the youth in my area are all taught how to properly handle and use drugs. We all know our "war on drugs" is losing, so, we might as well make sure that timmy won't inject death into his veins while he was experimenting with drugs.

it dosnet make a difference wether they know or dont know how to do drugs, if they go out looking for drugs then it's their own fault.

Fucking Stoners. hake:

fucking kyle

fuck the other kids all I know is my kids wont be doin that shit