MIDDLE SCHOOLERS BUSTED FOR SELLING MARIJUANA

Twelve Langley Middle School students were disciplined recently for
selling and or buying marijuana in two separate incidents that
occurred at school on March 12.

Three students were expelled for the remainder of the year for selling
marijuana to other students, and nine more face suspension for possession.

Greg Willis, the school's principal and the South Whidbey School
District's acting superintendent, said the incident was unexpected.

"This is an unusual situation because so many students are involved,"
he said this week.

All the students alleged to be involved in the incidents are
eighth-graders. None of them, according to Willis, have ever been
involved in a drug-related offense at the school.

The first incident, involving three students occurred between 10 a.m.
and 11 a.m. on March 12 when administrators were notified by a student
that a female student was buying a small amount of marijuana from two
male students.

Two hours later, another female student was caught selling and giving
away marijuana-laced brownies to eight other students.

The two incidents were unrelated, according to Willis.

The three students alleged to be involved in selling the marijuana
were expelled for the remainder of the year.

Nine students face disciplinary action for possession of marijuana,
which requires them to each go through an independent assessment by a
drug and alcohol counselor, and to serve between five and 90 days on
suspension from school.

Assistant Principal Tim Gordon said the Langley Police Department was
initially called out for the first incident, and eventually
investigated both.

"Langley Police Chief Bob Herzberg and I were interviewing the
students involved in both incidents until about 5 p.m. that day."
Gordon said.

Whether the students will face criminal charges is up the Island
County Prosecutors Office, Herzberg said. He said his department is
pursuing the two cases to forward to the prosecutor.

Thus far, he said, the students have been cooperating with police.

The brownies have been submitted to the state crime lab to confirm the
presence of marijuana. Island County's crime lab is checking the
substance sold in the first incident to make sure it is also marijuana.

Herzberg said the number of students involved was rather surprising.

"It has been very quiet at the LMS the last year or so," he said.

For distribution of drugs, the minimum consequence for students is
removal from school for one semester.