TEENS CAUGHT SELLING MARIJUANA

Police Nab 13-Year-Old Elementary Student

WELLAND - Drugs aren't that unusual at the high school level, but it's a
problem that's not often seen at elementary schools.

"That's pretty uncommon," said Niagara Regional Police Sgt. Mark Lightfoot.

Nevertheless, on Monday and Tuesday this week, Niagara Regional Police
investigated two separate incidents involving students "selling marijuana
cigarettes" to their classmates.

One suspect was 17 years old, but the other suspect was a 13-year-old
elementary school student.

"And that's even more disturbing," Lightfoot said.

Rob Ciarlo, superintendent of human resources for the Niagara Catholic
district school board, called it an "anomaly. And I'm happy about it
because it is an anomaly. It only happens once in a while."

But, as difficult as it is to believe "that kids in the Grade 8 age level
would even do that," it does happen.

Despite the efforts of educators to instill in students that drug use "is
not appropriate for many reasons," Cairlo said "some kids in Grade 8 do try
drugs."

Lightfoot wouldn't identify the schools involved since police are working
in conjunction with school administration in their investigation.

And police officers have opted not to deal with the situation with a heavy
hand.

"Neither one of the kids have been criminally charged," Lightfoot said.

Instead, he said police are "trying to take a real proactive approach to
this problem in the school yards. We are trying to take kind of a
community-based policing module to the situation."

Part of that, he added, is "getting police officers in the schools" through
a revamped school liaison program which Const. Mark Diegieio was recently
appointed to coordinate.

However, the students involved in the incidents aren't getting away with it
either.

"They're being dealt with extra-judiciously with the schools as well,"
Lightfoot said.

Depending on the results of the police investigation, Ciarlo said student
discipline could fall under the Ministry of Education's safe schools act
and could include mandatory suspensions and other punitive measures.

When dealing with selling illicit drugs, he said "there are certain things
identified specifically in the safe schools act that we have to do."

Police will also be paying close attention to area schools in the coming
months. "We'll be watching the schools, especially with the nice weather,"
Lightfoot said. "And we'll be watching the areas where the students
congregate."

Ciarlo said parents can also help ensure their children stay away from
drugs by communicating with them.

"There's nothing like open dialogue with your child, that tells you exactly
what your child is doing," he said.

"Take the time to talk to them every day," advised Sue Greer an education
superintendent for the District School Board of Niagara.

"Take an interest in what they're learning, who their friends are, what
their hobbies are, and quite often when you have those relationships, those
kids aren't the kind that will go down the wrong road."

Ciarlo also suggested that parents should watch for unusual behaviour. And
after raising a child for 13 or 14 years, "you know when your child is
acting a little bit differently."

When a parent sees unusual erratic behaviour in their child, they need to
explore the cause of that behavior.

And if a parent believes problems their child is facing are a result of the
school environment, "they need to share that information directly with the
school administrator."