TEACHING STUDENTS CONTRADICTORY LESSONS

In the spirit of my grandfather I find myself compelled to write a
letter to the editor.

I am distrurbed with the recent suspension of the sixth-grade class
at Our Lady of Rosary Catholic School. The story of a whole class
being suspended for one student's drug possession is one of
contradictory lessons. We tell children in the simplest form to "Just
say NO." We tell them, as we are told, that drugs are out there and
we will be confronted with the decision to take them. The harm in
drugs is the choice to take them. All of those children acted in the
way every after-school special and public service announcement told
them. They chose not to use any of that marijuana.

If we teach our children that just knowledge of near drugs is a
danger, we teach them no self-control, no sense of personal ethics.

Let's face it, if we want our kids to grow up to be active, go to
college, get jobs, they will be confronted with a vast assortment of
narcotics.

The lesson they are being taught in sixth grade - to tell, rather
than refuse - will certainly bring them into more dangerous
situations. As adults we should realize the implications of being
tattletales and punish not the children who did the right thing -
walked away.

AMANDA CURRY
Pleasant Ridge