Just a friendly reminder to parents of teens...it's 4/20 today

[Rock'n Robin]

4/20 is kind of like a "happy pot smoking day". I don't remember the origins--I seem to remember it being related to the "hash bash" in Ann Arbor, don't think it really has anything to do with Hitler or anything. Since I've taught 4/20 is a huge joke with all of the pothead kids. It isn't the big deal it used to be, but saying 4/20 for any reason (4:20 also) gets a big chuckle. If there are any kids with the inclination to smoke pot, they will probably find a way to do it today. We even had one year (99, I think--it turned out to be the day Columbine happened) that we had tons of kids skip school. The attendance office double checked them all, and brought some back to school in squad cars. They also told the parents of the kids who were skipping what the day was about, and some chose to get their kids drug tested--a couple ended up in rehab. Luckily, we are on spring break today this year.
Now don't bother flaming me with "pot should be legal" yada yada yada. That is not my point here, although after teaching kids who abuse pot I can tell you it DOES affect them. My point is to make parents aware, because I know if you are not in the high school setting on a daily basis as I am (God help me) sometimes you don't know all the little things that the kids are doing.
Robin M.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Most of the schools here are having field trips today, I wonder if they figured the kids would then at least show up.??

 

[The Mystery Machine]

15yodd told me this yesterday...Actually today is her MATH TAKS....

 

[Chris2597]

I never heard of this....and I have had 3 kids go through high school. I will ask them about it.
Today is TAKS day for my dd, aslo....

 

[mainewmn]

I have 2 boys and I asked them about it and each one looked at me like I have 2 heads. I have never heard it and judging from their reactions neither did they. Learn something new every day.

 

[grinningghost]

I remember last year on 4/20, a bunch of kids at DD's school got suspended for bringing in drugs.

Happily, school is out this year. Hopefully, they won't get as charged up about the date because of that.

 

[Aneille]

Never heard of it either, but there was a Sr. skip day that we had that I believe was in April. The Seniors skipped school and would have a party somewhere outside.

I didn't get to skip that day. I had a softball game or something so although I would have loved to, I would have missed a game.

 

[Ragnrok23]

FYI- kids think 420 is the police code for illegal drugs

 

[Kimberly]

Completely agree with the first poster, especially in the second paragraph. Pot smoking does affect children's lives, and their world would be a better place to have not experienced it. I had actually never heard of this "holiday" until undergraduate college, when I had neighbors who were enormous potheads.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I sometimes have pot debates with my dbf. He's a former pothead (smoked the stuff for 10 years), but quit when his lungs started to hurt. I like to bug him about it.