5 CRANBROOK TEACHERS' JOBS GO UP IN POT SMOKE

Using vague and formal terms, Cranbrook schools administrators announced that
five faculty members resigned or were dismissed Monday for smoking marijuana on
campus.

"There was a separation between the teachers and Cranbrook," said Steve
Hoffman, spokesman for the private schools. "There were some resignations that
came as the situation started to come to light. But in consideration of those
involved, and because this is a personnel matter, we cannot elaborate further."

Three Cranbrook Upper School teachers and two from the Brookside Lower School
were removed after they reportedly smoked marijuana at a faculty event on the
Bloomfield Hills campus in August. School administrators said the incident did
not involve students and occurred before they returned from summer break.

School leaders conducted an internal investigation that did not involve local
police, Hoffman said.

On Monday, Arlyce Seibert, director of Cranbrook schools, sent a letter to
parents notifying them of the dismissals. The letter included the following
school statement as explanation for the action taken against the teachers:

"Our lives and the manner in which we conduct them, particularly with a
residential dimension, are open to constant scrutiny and serve as examples to
students who are in the process of a formulating value systems and behavior
patterns. Therefore, the adults in the community are responsible for setting
both the tone for what happens in and out of the classroom, and the
accompanying limits of acceptable behavior."

Ron Harbour, a parent of two Cranbrook students, said the majority of parents
support the actions of school administrators.

"We spend a lot of money for the education of our children so we have very high
standards," Harbour said. "I feel for these teachers but they made a bad choice
and so we support the action the school took.

"Some kids may have said this was overdone because they see in their own world
kids who are doing drugs," he said. "They may think this is harsh, but it's all
the more reason to send a strong message to these teachers and our students."

School leaders gathered Upper School students for an assembly Tuesday to share
the news.

The students were not given specifics about the August incident. Instead, they
were told that "some teachers made poor choices in the area of professional
conduct."

Students on campus Wednesday declined to comment.

Pam Wong, chief of staff for the Michigan Department of Education, said the
teaching certificates of the five Cranbrook teachers involved will not be
revoked.

"The institution is choosing to handle this in a private way, and that is
within their prerogative," Wong said.