Broken Arrow Public Schools believes those voting on State Question 820 should consider how recreational marijuana would affect schools like theirs.
When Derek Blackburn was the principal of Broken Arrow High School, he said most student drug use involved pills.
However, things changed by the time he became executive director of student services.
“Pills were more in regard to an individual doing this on their own, or possibly selling,” he explained. “Marijuana is looked at more as a recreational drug. When we’re catching a student, we’re catching more than one.”
They’re catching record numbers of students, too.
“We went from 2017 to 2018, where we had 64 cases, to last year, where we had 140,” Blackburn said. “This year, we have 99, and we still have three months left in school.”
He explained the legalization of medical marijuana and the introduction of vape pens brought more marijuana into schools than ever before.
Now the school district is bracing for the potential passage of SQ 820, which would legalize recreational marijuana in Oklahoma.
“I talked to a counselor in Denver Public Schools about what they had seen,” Blackburn said. “It’s a struggle for them.”
“I am concerned about the access kids are going to have,” he continued. “And it just stands to reason that it will be more accessible to them.”
Blackburn said there’s a misconception among students that marijuana is safe, but it can have damaging effects on growing teenage brains.
“Academically, it does impact them,” he said. “Physically, it impacts them. And if a student is chasing the high, that can obviously take them down a path that’s even more detrimental to their health.”
However, he said Broken Arrow schools are already seeing impacts beyond sinking grades.
“We can have reactions from our kids where it’s very physical in nature,” he explained. “Some kids take hits for the very first time with very potent THC that knocks them on the ground, and we have to call an ambulance to provide some services to them.”
Because of the prevalence, Blackburn said the district is trying to shift from punishing students caught with marijuana to teaching them why it’s bad for developing minds.
“We don’t want to be just punitive,” he added. “We really want to try to help educate, and we want those kids back here.”
ktul.com
When Derek Blackburn was the principal of Broken Arrow High School, he said most student drug use involved pills.
However, things changed by the time he became executive director of student services.
“Pills were more in regard to an individual doing this on their own, or possibly selling,” he explained. “Marijuana is looked at more as a recreational drug. When we’re catching a student, we’re catching more than one.”
They’re catching record numbers of students, too.
“We went from 2017 to 2018, where we had 64 cases, to last year, where we had 140,” Blackburn said. “This year, we have 99, and we still have three months left in school.”
He explained the legalization of medical marijuana and the introduction of vape pens brought more marijuana into schools than ever before.
Now the school district is bracing for the potential passage of SQ 820, which would legalize recreational marijuana in Oklahoma.
“I talked to a counselor in Denver Public Schools about what they had seen,” Blackburn said. “It’s a struggle for them.”
“I am concerned about the access kids are going to have,” he continued. “And it just stands to reason that it will be more accessible to them.”
Blackburn said there’s a misconception among students that marijuana is safe, but it can have damaging effects on growing teenage brains.
“Academically, it does impact them,” he said. “Physically, it impacts them. And if a student is chasing the high, that can obviously take them down a path that’s even more detrimental to their health.”
However, he said Broken Arrow schools are already seeing impacts beyond sinking grades.
“We can have reactions from our kids where it’s very physical in nature,” he explained. “Some kids take hits for the very first time with very potent THC that knocks them on the ground, and we have to call an ambulance to provide some services to them.”
Because of the prevalence, Blackburn said the district is trying to shift from punishing students caught with marijuana to teaching them why it’s bad for developing minds.
“We don’t want to be just punitive,” he added. “We really want to try to help educate, and we want those kids back here.”
Broken Arrow schools warn legal marijuana could hurt students
Broken Arrow Public Schools believes those voting on State Question 820 should consider how recreational marijuana would affect schools like theirs.
ktul.com
