SCHOOLCHILDREN SUSPENDED FOR SMOKING MARIJUANA

Parents alarmed after 12-year-olds show up stoned

Twelve senior elementary students who smoked marijuana at lunch have sparked
a less-than-mellow response from their instructors, who handed them tough
suspensions and turned them over to police.

The children, aged 12 to 14, returned Tuesday afternoon to Homedale School
in St. Thomas, Ont., reeking of marijuana, said principal David Ennis, who
called the police once he caught wind of the situation.

A vice-principal had stopped the students at the door when he recognized the
sweet, tell-tale aroma on their clothes and marched them directly to the
office.

Apparently, the students had lit up at the home of a girl who lives near the
school, though only two-thirds of the group were clearly stoned when they
returned for afternoon classes, Mr. Ennis said.

The young ages of the children -- several are 12 -- alarmed teachers,
parents, and police.

``When you get this number of children it does become a concern to our
school system, police service, and parents, too,'' said Constable Glenn
Hodgson.

Mr. Ennis acknowledged that marijuana use hardly ranks as a high crime these
days, even at the Grade 7 level. But it was important to send a strong
message to the youngsters that it's still unacceptable and illegal, he said.

``What we have here is some good kids who made a bad decision. One girl
brought home a friend for lunch and 10 tagged along, and I guess she
encouraged the others to try it. We just want to make sure they don't do it
again.''

No charges are pending, but police were trying to determine the source of
the drugs.

Teachers believe a 13-year-old girl brought the drug to her friends' home.
There were no adults in the house at the time.

``Eight of the 12 were suspended for five days for smoking it,'' said Mr.
Ennis. ``The other four got three-day suspensions for being too stupid to
leave.''

The children's parents have been informed and strongly support the school's
tough position, added Mr. Ennis, who was on just his third day as Homedale's
principal when the kids were caught.

``I was very pleased with the parents' reaction,'' he said. ``The parents of
the girl who brought the others home were especially concerned, because this
stuff was in their house.''