Pages

March 19, 2010

Walnut Creek Intermediate deals with another drug possession issue

A seventh grader at Walnut Creek Intermediate was caught this week in possession of a small amount of marijuana, suspended by the school for five days, and issued a citation by the Walnut Creek police.

This information came in the form of a notice e-mailed out to parents by Principal Kevin Collins. This notice appears to be another example of the school's "conscious decision to inform the community if there were any incidents or threats to our students, either on campus or to and from school," according to Walnut Creek School District Superintendent Patricia Wool.

She explained this effort to keep the community informed about safety issues in an e-mail she sent out earlier this week. Her e-mail went out, no doubt, in response to concerns being raised recently that the loss next year of one of two vice principal's positions, due to budget cuts, would compromise the safety and well-being of the more than 1,100 students on the downtown campus. "We are committed to providing a safe environment regardless of WCI administrative staffing levels," Wool said.

She also said that since the beginning of the 2009-10 school year, there have been two incidents of students being caught in possession of marijuana. There was also a student caught with alcohol and two students who brought knives to school.

Here is a note from Principal Collins about the latest marijuana-possession incident at WCI:

I want to advise our community about a student discipline issue that occurred at WCI during seventh period today.

A seventh grade student was found in possession of a small amount of marijuana. I suspended the student for five days and called the Walnut Creek Police Department. The student received a juvenile citation and was released to the custody of a parent.

We are asking that parents again take this opportunity to speak with their children about drugs and about making good decisions. The safety and security of our students and campus remains our top priority.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seems like some of these kids would fit in better at YVHS or maybe even Mt. Diablo.

Is there any way to "expel" them over there, they would fit right in with the crowd.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

8:27, nice. Stay classy.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info Deborah. I was raising my younger brothers at that age. Having that burden is hard for any kid but in a community like Walnut Creek, where your classmates are all playing sports and going on weekend ski trips...how isolating that must feel.

The flip side, and what saved me, is that a community like Walnut Creek can offer these kids examples of well-functioning, healthy, and loving families.

Anonymous said...

Deborah, I heard that isn't true it is that he is trying to fit in with your kid.

Anonymous said...

No matter where you live, there will be kids/teens who do drugs. I am grateful that the WCI principal sends us these alerts so we can discuss this with our own kids. Don't be so judgmental people, it could be your straight a kid next time. Its not the mistakes you/they make, its what you/they do after that really counts.

Anonymous said...

Deborah, not to mention if you don't have all the facts, you are just spreading rumors, which isn't a good thing to teach your kids, maybe you should be worried about what kind of example your giving your kids to believe rumors and then to start spreading them around, isn't exactly being a good person or parent yourself.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry to see that there is such cliquish, petty gossip disguised as concern and kindness from Deborah. Single parents have a hard enough time without this kind of nastiness from those who most likely have never had to try to be the best parent possible as a single person without support from others, including, apparently, her own community.
--another parent

Anonymous said...

I'd be more concerned about the kids with knives and alcohol. For the three kids who have been caught with pot, there are probably another 30 who are occasionally using. This is what 14 year olds do... plus a lot of other stuff besides. They are not criminals, their parents are not necessarily negligent... they are doing what every other generation before them did... experimenting and testing the limits. What a shock!

Anonymous said...

I agree with 1:21's comment. I'd rather a kid be into occasional pot use than into using weapons. Or certainly better a little weed than some of the pharmaceuticals that some kids experiment with. Did you see the recent article about "pharma parties" where kids raid parents' medicine chests and use or combine drugs, sometimes at random? Now *that's* scary. (On another note, why do so many people have prescription medicines on hand? Is our society that in need of pills?)

From my generation's perspective, he seems young to be dabbling with pot, but I realize the kids are experimenting younger and younger (not such a good thing).

Kind of stupid of him to be bringing the stuff to school, though, unless, as some say, it's a "cry for help."

Anonymous said...

I would lock this kid in prison for the rest of his life if I had my way. That would nip this drug behaivor in the bud.

Anonymous said...

Kids were smoking pot at Parkmead Intermediate in the 70s. I didn't like smoking, but I was lookout on occasion.

Anonymous said...

5:53,

Yea. Just what we need. More people in jail and a BIGGER prison system. Whoopee!

Anonymous said...

Deborah, Can I get your last name? Because when I find it out I am going to have my attorney contact you.

Remember, we are talking about a minor. You are slandering the mother of this child on the internet. What else do you do to children and young mother's and half-sister's? Are you a bully on the internet too?

Seems to me that you are more excited to post something negative about a little boy than do something positive like teach your children to be supportive role models instead of a slandering soccer mom on the internet.

Martha Ross said...

To readers,
I erred in allowing a comment to stay up that had a bit too much identifying information about the people involved in this case. I do think that the person commenting meant well--I really do. But maybe that person revealed a bit too much.

The person commented just expressed the hope that the student involved gets more help and less punishment.