All I can say is WOW!!!
http://www.nbc10.com/news/15797491/detail.html?dl=mainclick
BALA CYNWYD, Pa. -- Administrators said a weeklong investigation has been under way into disturbing allegations at a Main Line middle school.
Bala Cynwyd Middle School students are suspected of operating a marijuana ring and then forming an online "hate club" to threaten those who might expose them.
Officials revealed that students aimed the club at a schoolmate because they suspected that student was helping investigators get to the bottom of a drug ring there.
"It's kind of like shocking because you wouldn't think, here at B.C., that something like this would happen," said sixth-grader Riley Loftus, adding that her class learned of what happened during an assembly Friday.
Doug Young of the Lower Merion School District said marijuana was not confiscated inside the school.
"I can't refer specifically to the items that were found because that's part of the investigation. But there was enough evidence that enabled us to determine that this was something we needed to move forward with," Young said.
Many parents were just learning about the e-mail as their children left school Friday, and they said they were stunned to get an e-mail from the principal about the allegations at the school, considered one of the finest in the area, NBC 10's Lu Ann Cahn reported.
"I'm actually aghast, to be perfectly honest," one parent said.
"I'm really surprised because I haven't heard about anything happening like that at B.C.," another woman said. "…They've all gone through bullying programs, and they have a lot of cyberspace rules and regulations, so I'm really surprised."
Principal Patricia A. Haupt wrote in the e-mail, "We've been investigating reported incidences of students selling and buying marijuana at BCMS. In addition, a number of students have joined a 'hate club' on Facebook, aiming their anger at a student they believe was cooperating with the investigation."
"I don't really know the kid, but I think it was a little much to do. I mean, hate is a very strong thing to feel, and I think it was kind of disrespectful," eighth-grader Sarah Hyman said.
Hyman said some of her grade classmates were missing from school this week and a police officer was in the school.
"I'm kind of appalled about the people who were selling the drugs in the first place," Hyman said.
The police department had no comment. But school officials said no criminal charges have been filed at this point, and no students have been expelled.
They added that, if not for a group of very concerned students telling administrators what was going on, they wouldn't know.
"If there is a silver lining in this, it's that students there were students who were concerned enough about the situation that they came forward," Young said.
Lower Merion officials were not saying how many students were involved. They are continuing to investigate and working with police.
The principal's e-mail said all of the students involved and their parents have been contacted, along with police, and that those who violated school policies are receiving consequences.
"It's unfortunate, but the school evidently has handled it in a terrific way, and they're on top of everything," one parent said.
The school has asked parents to talk to their children Friday night about drug use and bullying, Cahn reported.
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Honestly, what does that say about the society in which we live that these kids would think that is O.K.?
However, one also has to lay blame RIGHT at the feet of the PARENTS who are the adults in this equation- they have a CHOICE as to whether Bobby and Sally Sue sit like blobs in front of the computer at home, at their friends houses, or at the public libraries. How many kids do you know that actually play OUTSIDE? Climb trees? Read books? Rollerskate? Ride bikes? Do these parents even know what is up in the daily lives of their kids?
These parents overschedule and pamper these kids, and other interesting things? Play isn't spontaneous any longer it's an artificial and scheduled event as well -- "play dates". And who is supervising in a lot of these homes? It's not always a parent - it could be a bored older sibling, babysitter, or nanny who don't really care WHAT goes on except that they want to not have to be bothered.
And as for these sites like facebook, etc., why do kids in MIDDLE school have access to it? Those sites should be blocked on school district computers except for those that belong to the administrators - and they should search regularly for "updates" that could affect their schools. These sites shoudl also be blocked at public libraries - or there has to be a way that they can make sure NON adults don't use the sites, right?
All in all, this is sad because it just once again proves that in our hyper indulgent society, kids lose their innocence at an earlier age then we all probably did and isn't that sad? And drug dealing at that young an age? And in such a generally affluent area? Maybe if these kids had to work for an allowance, etc. they would appreciate things a little more? What is this "The Main Line Wire"?
Also see http://cbs3.com/topstories/Online.Hate.Club.2.692539.html
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