Students High in School

[disney junky]

I've been teaching in the same school for 23 years. Situations arise that get to me and this is one. Some students are obviously under the influence of some drug, and our only recourse is to send them to the nurse who then takes their bp. Unless it is dangerously high or low, they are sent back to class and life goes on. This has been policy for years and it's just so frustrating. Students who have been drunk are easy to spot and there have been a few of those, but I think more should be done. No one is running around on a 'witch hunt' to find students who are high. These are painfully obvious. What should be done?

 

[DizBelle]

Unless their being high is interfering with the class, I don't think there is anything you can do.

Was this student doing something to disrupt the class and that's why you sent him out?

 

[Mickey's Minion]

I've been teaching in the same school for 23 years. Situations arise that get to me and this is one. Some students are obviously under the influence of some drug, and our only recourse is to send them to the nurse who then takes their bp. Unless it is dangerously high or low, they are sent back to class and life goes on. This has been policy for years and it's just so frustrating. Students who have been drunk are easy to spot and there have been a few of those, but I think more should be done. No one is running around on a 'witch hunt' to find students who are high. These are painfully obvious. What should be done?

Since you brought up the topic and are close to the subject, I would be interested to hear what your solutions/suggestions would be first.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Are those showing signs they are high being searched for drugs at the school?

 

[disney junky]

Since you brought up the topic and are close to the subject, I would be interested to hear what your solutions/suggestions would be first.

I don't really know. Call parents. Probable cause? If there is nothing, or if there is not way to prove 'influence', you're sunk. Administrators can act on probable cause but seem unwilling to go that route. Further, if there is enough evidence to discipline the child, should charges be filed?

 

[disney junky]

Are those showing signs they are high being searched for drugs at the school?

Only if there is probable cause. See other post.

 

[disney junky]

Unless their being high is interfering with the class, I don't think there is anything you can do.

Was this student doing something to disrupt the class and that's why you sent him out?

Wasn't my class, but has been in the past. Often kids like this aren't disruptive at all. We're talking staggering, slurred speech.

 

[DizBelle]

Wasn't my class, but has been in the past. Often kids like this aren't disruptive at all. We're talking staggering, slurred speech.

Then I think you've done about all you can do. You've detected impairment of some kind and sent them to the nurse. Isn't it up to the nurse/administration to determine if the impairment needs to be reported to the parents?

 

[FireDancer]

Alcohol would be easy, have a breathalyzer in the nurses office. Here at work you have to sign a waiver that if you are suspected of being under the influence of something they send you home and you can't come back until you take a blood test. I think a similar policy would be in order. This might be easier to institute at a private school then a public since it would be mandatory to sign the consent form to enroll.

Also, locker searches for anyone suspected could find drugs. The lockers are the school's property and can be searched anytime by their owner, the school, without the kids consent or need for a warrant.

 

[a1tinkfans]

So sad
Just last evening, my ds and I (soph) went out to dinner. He mentioned that he "feels" his school is filled with pot smokers Said they used to be high before or even after school, but now, they actually smoke it in the bathrooms and even some hallways! We recently lost our principal (he left for greener pastures and the kids Really liked him, he was Tough but also Very well respected and had a great impact on the kids.) Now with this interim admin, the kids are just taking advantage (??) and its getting worse apparently.
There have been recent news stories in local media that Heroin is on the rise in our area and local school districts... they say its because kids have more $$ in our area??? Not sure if that is accurate or these are kids that just do not have the same "family values" of years past and no one checking up on them. So many people running here there and everywhere and family time wanes (and we all know there are many reasons for that) Many of these are the "good kids" The kids on sports, still getting decent good grades, it is VERY scary.
We talked about perhaps dropping an anonymous note ??? to admin saying Pls check bathrooms (when it seems to be prevalent). He said it'd prob make no difference. My kid comes home with crossed legs some days I'm thinking its the long bus ride! Says he will not even go down that hallway anymore. HOW can this be going on with nothing being done????
Our school actually has Police dog training AFTER school and the district jumped on that so that Police COULD be onsite and IF they suspected a locker/person etc they COULD address it Parents were on board with this.

So, I have no answers to you OP, but you certainly are not alone. SO far my ds has not talked about kids in his own classes, but with another 2 years left, its bound to happen. For now, we TALK TALK TALK about the repercussions and responsibilities and what is expected of him and I PRAY he makes the right choices! Peer Pressure is so Strong out there for sure. I LOVE getting alone time with him, to really "talk" about things, we're very lucky to have that kind of relationship and opportunities in our home SO, lets hope it continues, he is a Teen after all

 

[krcit]

My dd says her school smells like pot all the time. I don't know what the answer is.

 

[agnes!]

When my DD was a freshman, there were a couple of kids in one class that showed up every day stoned out of their gourds, all the kids knew it.

agnes!

 

[minkydog]

Then I think you've done about all you can do. You've detected impairment of some kind and sent them to the nurse. Isn't it up to the nurse/administration to determine if the impairment needs to be reported to the parents?

Speaking as a school nurse myself, i can tell you this is one of the most maddening things to deal with. Every school does things a little differently so there is no one-size-fits-all answer. When a teacher brings me a student they suspect of using drugs about all I can do is check full vital signs and document anything obvious, like dilated or pin-point pupils, odor, slurring, staggering, etc. At my last school we had a police precinct in the front office(yeah, how 'bout that!) and I could refer to the officer. If he felt there was probable cause he could follow-up. He had the drug dogs brought in a few times to sniff out lockers--rounded up several middle schoolers on that one. The school I'm in now has no officer, so if I had a suspicion I would take it to the principal and school counselor and let them deal with it. Frankly, I have a lot more to do in a day than babysit some kid who got high off special brownies.

If kids are appearing to be under the influence in class, you need to discuss it with the administration. Surely there is a plan in place for dealing with suspicion of drug use. The school nurse is pretty limited in what she can do about this. As long as the student's vital signs are normal and he's not seizing, confused, or psychotic there's not much she can do. I have called parents a few times, to find out if they were giving the kids cold meds, which can often have similar side effects to MJ, ecstasy, and meth. Of course, NONE of their kids would EVER use drugs, EVER. Yeah. And I just fell off a turnip truck...

 

[Sonya]

Yeah, sounds like your admin is failing you and the kids. We have drug dogs regularly. If we suspect someone they are immediately taken to the office and questioned. We have an officer on duty so they can check them out. Many times they will admit to whatever they have done. Lots of days the bathroom doors are locked because there has been a rash of smoking in the RR. Our school doesn't take this lightly. Sounds like your school needs to get tough.

 

[chrisney]

This is one of the reasons I no longer teach high school. I vividly remember one student who often couldn't even make it in the door on the first try. Went the route of the school nurse, whose hands were tied, as were mine. Tried talking to him, pointing out what I observed (but without being accusatory because we were told we couldn't accuse, we weren't medical personnel). Long story short, the student died from an overdose. He wasn't the only one, we had a couple of tough years with losing at least one kid per year. My heart just couldn't take it. I still teach, but a younger population and in a private, religious school. Don't know much that is sadder than seeing a young life being lived dangerously knowing that you can't do much about it.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I remember "talk" at my sister's school about random drug tests (much like some employers do). And I know a woman in my class said her son was randomly chosen for a drug test at his HS, I think it may have been more to check up on steroid use though as he was an athlete....she was so happy he passed
But of course, a waiver had to be signed by a parent and the child that they could administer a random drug test at anytime during the school year.

 

[java]

Random drug testing at our high school too. According to my son yesterday there were a bunch of "random" tests given to anyone that was absent the day before (national weed day)
And yes we had to sign something at the beginning of the year to allow random drug testing. Anyone that wants to participate in sports has to sign it or they can't be on the team.
My son is a Sophomore and has not been randomly chosen yet.