KIDS HANDLE THE DRUG - AND ONE TASTES IT

EVEN BY Philadelphia standards the scene was shocking, sickening and sad:

Second-graders at John M. Patterson School in
Southwest Philadelphia, sitting in class Monday afternoon, passing
small, pink bags of crack cocaine among themselves.

One girl even tasted the addictive substance - clueless of the
danger brought into the K-through-4 school by a 7-year-old female classmate.

The game of crack roulette ended when a student informed a school
counselor who happened to be in the classroom. The drugs were
quickly confiscated, and school police officers called the city
Police Department.

"How does a second-grader get their hands on hard drugs?" school
district chief Paul Vallas demanded to know. "It's absolutely
outrageous. Are we going to start frisking second-graders? No, we
are not going to start frisking second-graders. But I want to know
how this happened... We need some parental vigilance here."

The five children who said they had come into contact with the drugs
were detained after dismissal until their parents came to the school
to be told what had happened.

The only child who said she had tasted the drugs was taken by her
mother to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was treated
and released Monday night, police said.

The girl who brought the drugs to school in her book bag was walked
home from school Monday by Patterson Principal Anibal Soler because
he could not make contact with her family. He walked her back to the
school, at Buist Avenue and 70th Street, after learning that the
girl's grandmother had arrived at the school.

The grandmother's Southwest Philly home - where the girl lives - was
raided by city police yesterday, and an undetermined number of
adults connected to the house were being questioned, said Capt.
Benjamin Naish, a department spokesman.

Though no arrests had been made as of last night, anyone found to be
responsible for the drugs could face charges including endangering
the welfare of a child, possession of narcotics and possession with
the intent to distribute narcotics, Naish said. The child will not
be charged with a crime, he said.

The crack taken from the girl amounted to 0.6 grams, worth about
$60. It was contained in 12 small packets. It is not clear what was
in six other packets, Naish said.

"It's unclear right now how the child obtained the drugs," he said,
"but apparently the child was aware of the drugs inside of her bag
prior to the weekend and subsequently brought the drugs into the
classroom on Monday."

Naish said city police had been called about 3 p.m. Monday but did
not arrive at the school until after 4. He was not sure what had
caused the delay. Police confiscated and tested the drugs Monday, he
said, but did not realize until yesterday morning that one of the
children had tasted the drugs.

Yesterday each Patterson student was given a letter to take home
about the incident. "The student stated that she had found the bags
in her book bag," the principal said in the letter.

Education advocates said the incident was a wake-up call to parents
and child guardians in this city.

As president of the citywide Philadelphia Home and School Council,
Pat Raymond often hears school horror stories. But this case made
her shudder more than usual.

"The thought of a child that young even touching drugs just sends me
ballistic," Raymond said. "Maybe we should start teaching drug
education in nursery school. This is insane. Our children should not
be tainted by things like this."

Jerry Jordan, chief of staff of the Philadelphia Federation of
Teachers, said that Patterson, a school of 740 students, is well-run
and that Principal Soler has a good reputation.

"This troubles me because it means parental involvement is clearly
lacking," he said. "A 7-year-old does not purchase drugs and should
not have them in her possession. Children emulate adult behavior.
That is why it is so important for adults to be cognizant of what
they say and do around children."

Naish said the girl may have come into contact with the drugs as
early as Friday, though that is unknown.

"I have a 7-year-old of my own," Naish said. "It's incredible to
think that there are schools that children are going to and there
are drugs that are being passed around. The community, the families,
have to get more involved in knowing what's going on with their children."

School district spokesman Vincent Thompson said the girl would not
be allowed to return to school until her parents or guardian meet
face-to-face with the principal and officials from the Southwest
Regional office. She also faces punishment because her actions
violate the district's Code of Student Conduct.