STUDENTS ARRESTED IN DRUG SWEEP

But None Were Charged

Some Burlington students face discipline after being burned on the
marijuana smoking celebration day known as '420'.

Twenty four people were arrested for marijuana possession on Thursday
(April 20) following police drug enforcement at Notre Dame, M.M.
Robinson and Central high schools. Arrests occurred outside of the
high school buildings but on school property.

A Halton police constable said most of those arrested were students at
the high schools, while about eight were their friends or former students.

High school liaison officer Const. Les Fulop said those arrested were
released without charges and will be disciplined through their
schools. "They were searched at the scene and we found marijuana."

He said 60 grams of marijuana were seized, noting students who possess
it usually have a gram or so on them. The constable said no evidence
of trafficking was found.

Fulop said drug enforcement was done on Thursday because it's '420', a
national 'smoking up' day, plus the anniversary of the Columbine High
School massacre in Colorado and the birthday of Adolf Hitler, the
notorious leader of Nazi Germany.

Det.-Sgt. Joe Barker said police do random drug enforcements at high
schools whenever resources and time permit or when an increased amount
of activity is identified.

"This is something we do periodically because of the presence of drugs
in schools," he said. "We identify different schools and sometimes we
go to the same school twice in a row."

Barker said rolling papers, hashish pipes and two knives were
seized.

He said the latter were found at Central H.S., with one being a small
folding lock knife and the other a pocket knife.

Marijuana possession remains a criminal offence and school board
officials say students involved will likely be suspended.

A Halton District School Board superintendent said the penalty for
drug possession is a suspension (banned from school and related
activities for 1-20 days) and an expulsion (banned for 21 days or
more) for trafficking.

Jeff Blackwell said possession of drugs or articles to intimidate or
scare others are categorized as unsafe behaviours.

"We spend a huge amount of time on drug prevention and healthy, active
living," said Blackwell, who oversees Burlington south schools. "You
have to make good decisions and understand the consequences."

He said besides maintaining safe schools, helping those suspended is
important.

"We work to get the student back on track with conditions that could
involve a drug test, counselling and addiction support," said Blackwell.

A Halton Catholic District School Board official said two Notre Dame
students involved will be disciplined by the school.

"For involvement in drugs, there's usually a fairly heavy suspension,"
said Fiammetta Mazzetti, an assistant superintendent responsible for
secondary schools. "We do have an officer at the school and we work
closely with them."

The board has a number of initiatives at schools to educate students
and encourage them to avoid drugs, she said.

There is a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program for
elementary schools and assemblies at secondary schools, said Mazzetti.

"At assemblies, we warn students we will tell their parents and there
will be severe consequences," she said. "And we invite police to bring
their display drug board to school councils."