Sunday, March 30, 2014

Pot Brownies & Prescription Drugs in a Locker...What is the Big Deal???

What do you want your school known for?


On March 18, three students from New Milford High School were arrested on drug charges and accused of selling marijuana laced brownies at the school of brownies with marijuana baked into them, police said. One of the three had prescription in their locker for sale to others as well.  Superintendent of Schools Jean Ann Paddyfote said three New Milford High School underclassmen were facing expulsion for violating the school's drug and alcohol policy.

Not so funny now, especially if it is your kid or student

See Something, Hear Something, Say Something: The school's resource officer conducted an investigation because school authorities had learned a student was in possession of marijuana brownies and was trying to sell them to other students.   One youth had originally sold the brownies to a second youth, who brought the brownies into the school and sold them to a third youth, who in turn planned to sell them, police said. When the third youth was confronted by school authorities, prescription drugs were found in his locker, which the youth said he also had planned to try to sell to fellow students, police said.
The three male students -- aged 14, 15 and 16 -- are facing criminal charges including illegal possession of a controlled substance, illegal sale of a controlled substance, dispensing a narcotic and conspiracy to commit sale of narcotics.  All three were released into their parents' custody on written promise to appear Tuesday, March 31 in Danbury Juvenile Court.
Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. and the world, according to Drug Policy Alliance. There are roughly 750,000 people arrested for marijuana each year, the vast majority of them for simple possession. Though possession of marijuana at the age of 18 years and older in small amounts in Connecticut was decriminalized in 2011, intent to distribute for first-time offenders can mean up to 7 years of imprisonment, according to NORML.org, and violates New Milford High School's drug and alcohol policy.
Commentary:  When one hears a story like this there is a tendency to trivialize the event or even view it in a humorous way. However, these kids were distributing drugs in school to students who were witting or unwitting and one of them had prescription drugs in his school locker to distribute to students. Now consider those drugs going to YOUR CHILD, NIECE or NEPHEW, or GRANDCHILD…doesn’t seem trivial or humorous now. Remember, those kids are someone else’s child, niece or nephew, or grandchild. I am concerned that the adults who consider legalizing marijuana have not considered the impact on our children…
Additionally, those few “pot brownies” will cause those students to miss a week or two of school awaiting their expulsion hearing.  Missing a week or two of school will impact their grades for that marking period, GPA, and class standing. If these kids were on a sports team they will be kicked off of the team. These students will have a drug record in their file from high school and a life-long reputation and stigma that is tainted with drugs. Many parents will tell their kids to not hang out or associate with these kids who were associated with the pot brownies and prescription drugs. Will the parents just look at this as “kids will be kids” or will they realize that my kid now has a problem that is drug related and consider my kid may have a drug problem…or the start of one? How these parents and the school handles this incident can have a life altering impact on their future.


Friday, March 28, 2014

Two Maryland High School Teenage Girls Abuse Autistic Student, One of Their Parents Notifies Police







Two teenage girls in southern Maryland abused and bullied an apparently autistic 16-year-old boy into performing sexual acts and crashing through pond ice in episodes they captured on cellphone video, authorities said Wednesday. The girls, ages 17 and 15, threatened the teen with a knife, kicked him in the groin and dragged him around by his hair according to law enforcement. 

They coerced him into walking on a partially frozen pond and then refused to help him out of the frigid water. Police said the boy got out himself, but the prank could have turned deadly. All three teens attend Chopticon High School in Morganza, MD.

"You're dealing with somebody who doesn't have the mental capacity of you and I," she said. "Somebody like that could go into a kiddie pool and may not be able to get themselves out. That's what's really kind of disturbing to us, among the other allegations in this case. The whole thing's just very disturbing."
She said investigators haven't found any of the video online.

  • The 17-year-old, Lauren A. Bush, of Mechanicsville, MD was charged as an adult Tuesday with first- and second-degree assault, false imprisonment and solicitation for child pornography. She was released on her own recognizance.
  • The 15-year-old was charged as a juvenile with the same offenses and referred to the state Department of Juvenile Services. The sheriff's office didn't release her name.

Police said both girls acknowledged they committed the offenses. They also said the boy's parents told police he is autistic and police described him as having "diminished mental capacity."

HOW DID THEY FIND OUT
PARENT OF ONE OF THE ABUSERS. 

Police learned of what happened from a parent of the younger girl who had seen the video on her daughter's phone. The parent showed it to a sheriff's deputy who works in the school. There is no evidence other students joined the bullying. Police said more charges are likely as investigators list offenses for each episode that authorities say occurred from early December to early February.

A Parent Of One Of The Abusers Contacted Police Because It Was The Right Thing