SCHOOLS ARE FAILING ON OUR CHILDREN

In November, six boys from Peterborough Collegiate Vocational School
were suspended for being involved with marijuana. After obtaining
confessions through isolated, threatening and misguided
interrogations, five were expelled.

One of these boys I've know since he was a year-and-a-half old. He is
a close friend of my son, and this was his first school "offence."
I've met all the boys involved, all friends of my son. They are good
kids, struggling through their teenage years just as we all did. Now
none of them can finish Grade 12 at the high school that they chose
because the school administration doesn't want them around and has
decided they are bad people - not worth more effort.

Since the suspensions more and more people have heard about the story
at PCVS and there is a growing concern that something is not right in
the school system.

This system is having a terrible effect on our children. New laws
came into effect in 2007 giving schools, and in particular the
principal and vice principal, supreme power. These laws, which our
children are subjected to, give schools more freedom of action than
even our constitutional laws give the police. Principals and
vice-principals are allowed to search and interrogate students at any
time without parental consent, or without any student support . They
can use any form of information as evidence whether it is reliable or
not, obtained in any way they want.

Over the past year or so, I have heard of and spoken with many
teenagers who are begrudgingly attending school, are deeply
discouraged and feel assaulted instead of assisted at school. Many of
these kids are dropping out of their homes and schools desperately
trying to escape how "society" is making them feel.

I believe it is the role of a school and a community to support
teenagers during the (natural) period when they question their roles
within society and question the system and authority. I believe that
allowing young people to become hopeless and helpless within society
brings about only more hopeless, helpless, unproductive, uncreative
citizens in a world crying out for enthusiasm, hard work, community
supportandhopefulpositiveaction.

Last week another teenage friend in our small downtown community was
caught at school in possession of marijuana. He too was searched and
interrogated by the vice-principal, alone, and then arrested by the
police. This student is an avid athlete with a rowing scholarship and
has always been a great participant in school politics and
activities. Now he too will be expelled from the system which is
supposedly in place to teach and guide our children.

Those who are blinded by the fact that marijuana is the common thread
in this story really need to open their eyes. Keeping young people
safe within the school system is imperative, as is guiding our youth
to act within the social and legal rules of our society - but this is
not what has been happening in our high schools. We need to come
together as a community to reevaluate our school systems; society is
changing and we need to change with it. Thank goodness these poor
boys have brought to light the fact that we no longer have any
control over the experiences and education our children are getting,
or lack there of.

Maybe you are a parent of a teenager, or have a younger child, or are
a grandparent, or perhaps have no children whatsoever, it doesn't
matter, this is our problem, all of ours. Please speak up, pay
attention, get involved!

Beth McCubbin