TIME TO SET THEM STRAIGHT

Late last week, students at a small midwestern Ontario high school
were told to remain in their classrooms. Under no circumstances were
they to be in the hallways until the all-clear was given. Then they
saw the uniformed police officers and the dog. Most of the students
knew what that meant - a drug search.

This was not the first time, and it will not be the last time, a rural
Ontario high school has been searched in this manner. That school
could easily have been here. Drugs are no longer a big city problem,
they are causing problems in our own communities. And there is a
growing movement afoot among police and school officials to get drugs
out of our schoolyards.

In recent months a lot of young people have come up with the idea that
marijuana is the next thing to being legalized, and police will not
bother prosecuting anyone caught with drugs. They hear "decriminalize"
and think "legal". They hear "being debated in Ottawa" and think "the
law has been changed". They hear "small quantities" and think
"anything goes".

They see their parents having a beer - the adult drug of choice -
after work and think this gives them carte blanche to consume their
own drug of choice whenever and wherever they want, including at school.

It is time to set them straight - and the play on words is definitely
intentional.

The truth of the matter is the law has been relaxed somewhat to permit
a few people to use marijuana for medical purposes, but otherwise
possession of the drug is as illegal as it ever was. Some of our
elected officials are exploring the possibility of making possession
of small amounts punishable by a fine instead of jail. However,
possession of larger amounts for the purpose of trafficking is another
matter entirely.

One further truth is that intoxicating substances, be they beer,
marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin or new "designer" drugs,
have no place in the classroom.

The laws governing consumption of marijuana have not changed although
they may to some extent in future. One area of law that has changed
protects the rights of young people to attend safe schools, where the
atmosphere is conducive to learning and preparing for a successful
future. The Safe Schools Act guarantees protection for every student
against bullying, violence and crime.

A school where drug deals are routinely made out of lockers and in the
parking lot, where a significant number of students come to class
drunk or stoned, is not a safe place.

Students who come to class drunk or stoned are at best disruptive and
disorderly; at worst, dangerous. They create a toxic environment
within the school. Consumption of drugs in schools is associated with
gang activity, stealing and violence. Drunk or stoned students are
incapable of learning, but even worse, they suck up an unfair amount
of teachers' time and energy at the expense of students who are trying
to learn.

The message sent by the search with the police dog leaves no room for
misinterpretation - drugs will not be tolerated in our schools.