High School Administrators React to Pot Brownie Incident

A letter went home to high school parents this week noting that two students received medical treatment after eating brownies laced with marijuana. At least one unnamed student is expected to face disciplinary action following the incident. No criminal charges will be filed, Oak Bluffs police said.

At least one regional high school student is facing disciplinary action following a recent incident involving distribution of marijuana brownies at the school.

A letter went home to high school parents this week from school principal Steven Nixon describing “two instances of students being placed in danger because of food.”

One of the incidents was an allergic reaction to a peanut product. In the other, unrelated incident two students received medical treatment last Friday after eating brownies laced with marijuana inside a high school classroom.

“Please be aware that your child’s safety is paramount to all we do . . . .” the school principal wrote in part in the Dec. 16 letter. Mr. Nixon said police had been informed of the incident and the school would begin an immediate policy of no eating in the hallways or classrooms.

Reached Wednesday, Mr. Nixon could not confirm how many students were facing disciplinary action, or whether the brownies were given out or sold to students.

He said while school policy already prohibits the consumption of food in classrooms, this is enforced less during the holiday season.

Mr. Nixon was not at school last Friday, but said he believes that because of the students’ behavior, they were brought to the nurse.

Oak Bluffs police Lieut. Timothy Williamson said no criminal charges will be filed. He said police were called in on Monday to discuss the matter with guidance and school administrators, but that disciplinary action has been left to the school.

The assistant principals are handling the investigation, and while it’s open, little information is publicly available, Mr. Nixon said.

They will follow school policy in the disciplining of any involved party, he said. He could not confirm whether the student or students will be suspended or expelled from school.

The infraction has no known precedent, Mr. Nixon said. “There have been marijuana incidents in the past at the school but as far as I know this particular issue has not come up before.”

Still, he said it does not indicate more or less drug activity at the high school.

“We are always concerned about drugs because we are charged with the safety of the kids in the building,” he said.

He debunked rumors that school facilities had been used in the preparation of the baked goods. “That’s not true at all,” he said.

The incidents were the topic of discussion at a schoolwide assembly Wednesday. Afterward, students met with their advisory groups to discuss the issue further.

The second incident, which occurred two weeks ago, was a severe peanut allergy to food brought into class.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/18/2013 - 11:34

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TN Oak Bluffs

During my time at MVRHS, on multiple occasions students were intoxicated during regular school hours, I think it would be prudent of Mr. Nixon to consider banning drinking liquids of any kind in the hallways or classrooms too. Better safe than sorry.

L.T. Edgartown

Thats ridiculous. People who play sports need to hydrate. Some people have low blood sugar and actually NEED to snack during the day. I think that banning food and drink will just make people more sneaky about it. Nothing will change as a result of these new guidelines. It is unfortunate that the whole school is getting penalized for an incident that involved very few people.
Ya like they are going to ban water bottles from school. Pshh. Get real.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/18/2013 - 15:50

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Dan Chilmark

And then they can ban eating and drinking during the lunch hour, unless its a school-approved, Michelle Obama-endorsed "meal", and then, they can ban cough drops, and then…. come on. The issue is easily addressed by bringing charges against the perpetrators. If you're facing time in juvenile detention, you're less likely to bring "special" brownies to class again. Stop spoiling and coddling these future drug dealers, who are only 3-4 years at most from the adult world where real people don't get a slap on the wrist and sent home. There is a reason that there are punishments for crimes. If you want to stop drug use in the schools, punish the offenders and FINE THEIR PARENTS - that will give them all the incentive to stop this activity that they will need. Honestly, the Katie-Couric/Lib-Dem method of raising children doesn't work. Spare the rod and Spoil the child.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/18/2013 - 22:19

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Sandi OB

Dan,

Two persons not on your Christmas list this year...Michelle Obama and Katie Couric. Forgot Barack Obama?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/19/2013 - 11:56

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

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Dan Chilmark

No, he fell off my Christmas list when his "Hope" turned into the largest single tax increase in history and he and his cronies shoe-hormed Obamacare into law in the wee hours of the night in 2009, which will kill the Middle Class. Santa won't deliver to the White House anymore anyway, the TSA screeners tried to give him a cavity search in 2011. Ho, Ho, Ho.

Dan Chilmark

Who knows? With the marijuana dispensaries coming and if Mass. goes the way Colorado did, I might be able to buy some "special" brownies for the holidays, legally.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 12/23/2013 - 10:21

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Susan West Tisbury

I understand the school having a "reaction" but in reality, high school students don't really have enough time to eat their lunch as it is.This age group in particular needs to be able to eat and drink when they need to.

Banning food and drink is a REAL problem in itself.

Less reaction more reality!!

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