PRINCIPAL TO MEET WITH POT-SMOKING CLASS SKIPPERS

GARDEN City Collegiate students who skipped school Thursday to attend
the annual pro-marijuana demonstration at the legislature can expect
to have a talk with principal Steve Medwick next week.

"We definitely know there were a group of our kids there," Medwick
said yesterday.

At least 1,000 young people of high school age and younger were at
the legislature Thursday, some openly smoking marijuana.

Some students told a Free Press reporter they attend Garden City,
Kelvin High School, Sturgeon Creek Collegiate, and General Wolfe School.

Medwick was the only principal willing to be interviewed yesterday.
He said he knew the demonstration was coming, and staff are checking
attendance records. Yesterday was an in-service with no classes.

Medwick said Garden City Collegiate has been taking a strong stand
against drug abuse. "We're working really hard at having them
understand, rather than yell and scold -- that doesn't work with high
school kids. "They think it's not as bad for them as alcohol," Medwick said.

"We're just going to try to talk to them about the absence," Medwick
said. "We've been working hard on changing attitudes, get the kids
focussed on what school's supposed to be about."

General Wolfe principal Neil McAlpine declined to comment.

An official with Winnipeg School Division said the division does not
intend to check attendance records or take any action.

However, one city principal who asked not to be named was aware some
kids had been at the legislature Thursday, and the school will follow up.