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Well, I am glad that GCS doesn't allow smoking. So, I guess this no brainer should make me feel better about Grier and his automatons on the school board? Give me a break. Maybe they should come out with a statement condeming assaults. Yeah, that'll show everyone how in touch they are. Drive by Florence Elem., look at the trashy trailors they are setting up, then ask me to feel better that kids can't smoke on school grounds.

How come as the parent of a rising freshman at Ragsdale, the biggest complaint I here is of smoking numerous things on campus???

OOps, "hear". It's late.

They may have adopted tobacco free campuses but I'll tell you it is not implemented. My daughter
told me the first week of school that students smoke between classes and sometimes it is not tobacco. If they are going to adopt a law, they should follow thru with rules and consequences, not just have them in the handbook. My daughter's principal told me she does not have enough staff to patrol the campus during lunch or in between classes. So to me, they can adopt laws all they want because nothing they do has any teeth in it!

Grier must not have been able to con money out of the cigarette industry.

If he had, there would be cigarette machines on all campuses.

With the unneccessary bus rides, Tornado Trailers and unreported crime in our schools, it is obvious that the CHILDRENS SAFETY and WELL BEING is at the bottom of the priorty list for Dr. Grier.

So Dr. Grier,, go on to Raleigh and celebrate, party down and maybe give yourself another Award of some sort, but just remember that there are people out there that know where you have been and fully understand your motives.

Smoking may be "banned" but it is not enforced.

Kids at SWH (and probably others?) continue to smoke in the bathrooms and it is ignored. Isn't this also breaking fire codes?

Regarding the trashy trailers. They have ALWAYS been at Florence and growing. Just like many things in GCS, they feel if they are "hidden" from the public, maybe people won't know about it, question it, or try to improve on the status quo.

These same trailers - and many of them with possoms underneath, mice found in them, HVAC that often at times doesn't work, mold on carpets, etc. etc. have always been there. They have just been moved to the front to build the new addition.
How do you like the nice view of reality now?

Maybe they should have been moved years ago so Guilford County can open their eyes up wide and see what is needed every day and what is not being addressed with the taxpayers's money.

What does anyone out there think of their priorties now?

I can only say on a positive note - better late than never - Florence has long need a brick school. I have volunteered in a supply closet in the past to teach reading. We used to have art on a cart and music on a cart in the gym with temporary walls while basketball went on.

At least now their is a trailer for Art and a trailer for Music.

Oh, one more thing...when giving tours to new incoming students, certain PTA folks wanted us to
call them them "mobile cottages". Do you guys see any little flowers and pretty painted shutters.

They are TRAILERS - and will blow away in a tornado. Thanks for opening your eyes Guilford County.

I agree with the comments that the "No Smoking" rule may exist but that smoking still occurs on school grounds. The teachers and principals I have worked with have made every effort to catch smokers. We have certain bathrooms locked during the day, as well as teachers that have hall duty outside the other bathrooms in order to prevent smoking. Even so, we don't catch everything. The ones we do catch have to go to Tobacco Education classes and afterschool detention. If the problem continues, they can get In School Suspension. Even so, some of my students are determined to smoke regardless of the consequences. They simply don't care. At times, I wonder if it would be easier to go back to having the "smoking tree" for the students that are old enough to smoke (legal substances only, of course).

I'm sure some kids will still sneak a smoke every now and then. That's been going on for many years - hence the song "Smokin' in the Boys Room" that I referenced in the title to this thread.

I think the point of the policy was to reduce overall smoking levels on campus for employees and students and to create an environment that discourages smoking.

From what I've seen, the effort is working, at least to a degree. I covered a few high school football games when I started working here five years ago. Even in 2000, you used to see people smoking in the stands - the football press box over at Page was like a pool hall. You don't see that as much now.

I do like the no smoking policy on at sports games; it does make a difference. I think it is a great policy and to teach by example.

Andi and Bruce - you are both right about if kids are going to smoke, they will. I have had the kids tell me that teachers know about it and just don't report it. This is "heresay" so I can't vouch for that. I do feel if more teachers like Andi made an effort to report these incidences, it would help further.

I know when I went to Catholic School (long ago) if you were caught smoking within a block of school grounds, you were expelled. Times sure have changed but we did have one girl that would go in the girls' bathroom; climb out the window - onto a flat lower roof and smoke out there.

Where there is a will, there's a way.

Lol...thanks for sharing Barbara Ann. I guess some things never change.

And yes, I'm glad we have the policy and I know the majority of students are glad that we do too. However, I still don't understand the reason for having the rally. I like a good party as much as anyone else, but I wouldn't go to a party when I'm suppose to be at work. Maybe I'm just confused.

Andi,

You are not confused. I loved reading your posts.

Re the rally - it is known as "politics" and "pr" - comes with the territory. Another post for another day.