Pubdate: Thu, 19 Dec 2013
Source: Journal-Pioneer, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2013 Journal-Pioneer
Contact:  http://www.journalpioneer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2789
Author: Nancy MacPhee

DRUGS IN SCHOOLS ISSUE FOR POLICE: BOARD OFFICIAL

SUMMERSIDE - A student arrested for drug trafficking at a Summerside
school is not an issue for the English Language School Board to
comment on, said superintendent Cynthia Fleet.

In November, a 17-year old city teen was arrested inside Three Oaks
Senior High School, found with 2.5 ounces of marijuana and drug
paraphernalia.

He now faces drug-trafficking charges and a potential two-year prison
sentence. During the arrest, police seized prepackaged marijuana and
the drug in bulk, along with a digital scale used to weigh the drug,
cash, cellphone and packaging supplies.

Following Tuesday night's monthly board meeting, Fleet said it was a
police issue.

"Law enforcement did arrest a student and that individual has been
charged but that would really be a police matter to comment," said the
superintendent.

Having a police officer situated in the school had been raised earlier
in the year by Summerside city council, something, at the time, Three
Oaks Senior High principal Nicole Haire said she supported.

The idea was to have an officer act as a liaison between the city,
students, parents and teachers and promote positive relationships with
the students.

When asked if having such an incident occur within one of the board's
57 schools was concerning enough to look at having a police presence
at Three Oaks, Fleet said that hasn't been discussed at the board level.

"The school board is not provided with resources to provide law
enforcement officers in schools," she said. "That would be the city
councils that would take that on."

Asked if the issue of drug use and drug trafficking is far reaching
within the board's schools, particularly the junior high and high
schools, Fleet said, "it is a problem with other schools in the
nation, so it's not unusual and it is unfortunate."

"Needless to say communities are concerned about involvement in
illicit drugs, use of alcohol or abuse of alcohol," she added.

"We have counsellors in our schools and counselling consultants and
we're doing our best to work with addictions services, etc. But, a
student who has issues like that, the resources that are in the school
right now are the ones that are made available to them. That's done
through the counselling centres."

Following his arrest, the teen was released to his parents and is
scheduled to appear in a Summerside court to answer to the drug
trafficking charge. Haire has been contacted for comment but has
indicated she is unable to do so.
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