I busted two kids for smoking in the bathroom today

[Catshrink]

Two girls. They will be suspended for this -- I think they should get a double suspension -- more time for being stupid than for smoking.

I used the kids' lav this morning because I didn't have time to go to the faculty bathroom in the next building. I thought there was something weird when I saw the two go into one stall. Sure enough, they lit up. Back in my high school, we had designated smoking areas. My things have changed.

[IranianDemocrat]

1. Haha how old were they and were they crying?

?

[Catshrink]

2. Juniors

and they had a "screw you" attitude.

[Demobrat]

12. You should have made them smoke a whole pack.

The retching would be your revenge.

[whathappened]

3. think back when you were there age

this was the norm befor we found out that smoking was so bad to ya health , we all gathered across the st. from the school on our lunch breaks and fired up , but now i know why i should'nt have , did do some damage to my lungs along with working in the factorys for 15 years , don't no which did the most damage , but smoking did'nt help i'm sure

[MissouriTeacher]

4. I know a teacher who had to testify in court

after he caught a student smoking pot in the bathroom.

That would almost be more trouble than its worth. :)

[SmileyBoy]

5. "Smokin' in the girls room....."

"Don't you know that SMOKING AINT ALLOWED IN SCHOOOOOLLLLLL....."

Those girls broke the Cardinal Law of high school smokers: NEVER, EVER smoke in the school building. You ALWAYS sneak outside to do that.

[Catshrink]

7. That's what I mean, it was stupid.

[SmileyBoy]

9. I know. What do those girls think, it's the '70's, or something???

You don't SMOKE in the high school washroom in this day and age. There are plenty of other places for a high school kid to light up. And sneaking out is easy, even in a closed campus. Lighting up in the HS bathroom is like me speeding up to 100 mph on the freeway when I see a cop car parked on the shoulder.

Yep, they were pretty dumb.

[Lefty48197]

6. Give em hell General Ashcroft

That's just what this country needs is people getting children suspended for doing the things that children do. Were they smoking crack? You should have confiscated their cigarettes and scolded them. Suspension is stupid. Real educators don't believe in suspensions for cigarette smoking.

[Catshrink]

8. Oh really? Are you an educator?

Tell me about your classroom management techniques. Tell me about your school policies, which you enforce, and which you choose to ignore. How do you handle kids who think they can do what they want, whenever they want, who don't give a flying damn about their courses or real learning. How do you motivate them?

[Lefty48197]

15. Blah, blah, blah

Two 17 year olds smoked a cigarette, and now they're going to get suspended from school. Lock em up. Law enforcement is far more important than education. Maybe we can find some petty offense to throw them in jail for? We'll show them kids who's boss.

[Ohio Dem]

19. Sure.

Let 'em smoke. In class. Hell, let 'em bring guns. Law enforcement isn't the job of the educator.

Anyone who thinks law enforcement isn't a part of a teacher's job has never been a high school teacher. It's part of the contract that a teacher signs. Let kids get away with smoking and all other broken school rules, and you'll be looking for a new job.

But the kids will like you. They won't learn anything, but they'll like you.

[LynneSin]

21. Same punishment our school gave em back in the early 80's

Of course what was worse was first suspension was actually IN-SCHOOL. You basically had to sit in a room that was connected to the principal office. I was never a smoker (heck I was never on detention) but I knew kids that would beg to be "upgraded" to regular suspension (knowing their parents probably wouldn't care what they did at home).

You did the right thing. Suspension lets the parents know their kids are smoking and maybe just maybe we'll be lucky and they'll give up the habit before they are hooked.

[BiggJawn]

10. We're not talking "Real Educators" here...

We're talking typical High School Principals who have to kiss the rich kid's folks on the School Board's asses and one teacher (that's the "real" educator)who would like to keep their job.

The "Screw You attitude" would just make it easier for me, IMO...

[Catshrink]

11. My principal stands up to those people

He's a great guy. Our kids are used to, in his words, "being treated like little princes and princesses, of getting everything they want without working for it." Not all kids, of course, but a disheartening number. He wants them to know the rules apply to everyone, even them.

If I hadn't turned them in, I would be looking for a job.

[SmileyBoy]

13. It's not about being fascist. It's about public safety.

I could recall many times for you when I was in HS, and had to go to the bathroom and walked into a place REEKING of stale cigarette smoke. And this was starting a year or so after I quit smoking, later in high school. I don't want to be smelling reeky cig smoke when I'm taking a dump, thank you. It's mostly about providing students with clean, healthy facilities. It's about looking out for the public welfare of the students.

And those girls were stupid, anyway. You NEVER smoke in the bathroom, cause you're gonna get caught. There's literally HUNDREDS of other places to go light up. It's even pretty easy to sneak out even in a closed campus. Hell, that's what I did. I was a friggin' stupid freshman, and even I knew about basic common sense of smoking in high school. I soon quit anyway (it has been over 5 years since my last light), so that's a moot point.

[Catshrink]

16. Well said.

The hallway stunk all day because of our crappy ventilation system. All the kids wanted to know what happened so the teachers on that hallway told them: a couple of girls got busted for smoking in the bathroom.

The kids first asked "What were they smoking." and then "who it was." Most of them laughed and said that was a very stupid thing to be doing.

[Wickerman]

14. Do something lke that and it would be that teacher's job

The liability and general crap the school has to deal with? Nope, some rules have to be followed.

[Ohio Dem]

17. As a fellow educator, I've done this too.

It's not about being a nazi. It's about doing your damn job. Teachers have to bust these kids for a variety of reasons, top among them that minors smoking is against the law, at least in Ohio. In fact, possession of tobacco is against the law in Ohio if you're under age. Against the law. It's against the school's rules, too. That doesn't mean nothing. Rules are there for a reason. Whether it's the dress code, public dispays of affection or whatever, teachers are bound by contract to enforce the damn rules. Even if they don't agree with them. And smoking isn't exactly a healthy lifestyle choice, not that I'm judging. I make bad health choices every day. But that's one of the reasons it's against the rules. And you're right - smoking in the bathroom is just stupid. Can't they sneak outside? Is the day so long that they have to smoke?

I like in-school suspensions better than out-of-school suspensions, myself. They force the kids to do some actual schoolwork instead of sitting in the house, smoking. Also, as a punishment, it sucks to have ISS. OSS is a vacation.

On edit: When two kids go into the same stall, there are really only two reasons why. And either one will get them suspended.

[LynneSin]

22. Kids hated ISS at our HS

Because the room they had to sit in was adjacent to the principals office. It was sheer hell in our high school. Rarely they gave OSS because they knew kids prefered it. And at least with ISS they could get their school work.

Mind you this was the early 80's. Of course I was an angel in High School.

[Lefty48197]

18. Oops Sorry! I was using...

my justice forum voice, in the lounge. My bad. I'll go take a time out in the corner. I don't retract any of my sentiments, but I should have worded it more civily. Sorry Catshrink.

[Catshrink]

20. It's okay....

I know how I would have rebelled against many of the rules when I was in high school -- and I do think some of them are extreme, but, they are there for a reason. It's part of the contract I signed. But damn, they were stupid.

[lynndew2]

24. I am and was a smoker in HS and you were right

in every way. My grandfather, mother(were) and brother is a teacher and I think you did what was right. I did smoke in the bathrooms in HS but also knew the possible repercusions. Dont feel at all bad, you did what was required and what is right for the situation. HS is in addition to just education by books. An education on Life and how rules are to be conformed to.

You did the right thing and the only thing you could. I appluad you MRS/Miss/MS Catshrink!!!!

P.S. I would love a palmsized kitty...lol(kidding)

[Catshrink]

25. Kitties...

The problem with a kitten is that,
Very soon it becomes a cat!

-- Ogden Nash

[lynndew2]

26. Yes, But if its shrunk maybe it will run from

the baby squirrels. Cat-shrinking sounds good!!! Kidding of course and Know that your decision was the correct one.

[Djinn]

23. in my HS days

the bathrooms only got used if it was raining outside - and those days they stunk, apart from the health risks to non smokers using the room - what about health problems posed by hanging out for extended periods in a communal toilet EEUUWW

[Art_from_Ark]

27. At my high school, there was a set of designated smoking bathrooms

And it was my job to clean them out. Yuck.

Anyway, a suspension is an overreaction to this, in my opinion. With nothing to do during what should be school time, there is a greater chance for these girls to get into trouble. That is why my school never suspended anyone for smoking (cigarettes), but rather accepted the reality of the situation and found a way to compromise (smokers had to have parent's permission; if not, they were held in detention after school).

[Booberdawg]

28. I went to high school in the 70's and we could smoke outside

but NEVER inside. Just no reason to try it inside. That's dumb. But now I suppose they can't even smoke on the property and have to sneak. Sheesh.

But girls also couldn't wear pants in the 70's. I tried to sneak wearing culottes once and got sent home to change. Now you can go to school looking like shit.