Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Ok, ladies. Here's a question that most people don't necessarily have to deal with. I have a very unique problem. I started working recently in a HS in Queens where students freely smoke pot in the halls. The smell/smoke gets so bad that it wafts throughout halls. All of the staff thinks it is disgusting. However, for some reason, it never stops. There are so many fights and students cursing out teachers that I think the school "lets it go". Also, the security guards are totally incompetent. They act like the students. The entire hall outside the cafeteria was filled with smoke and I reported it to security. The two guards said that it was probably just a smell coming from a kid who smoked outside. Everyone knows they smoke in the school!!! The guards were protecting the kids. Here's the thing: I hate weed! I am a counselor. I do not want a second-hand high. I am also trying to get pregnant. Why the hell should I have to breath in second-hand smoke, especially if I get pregnant. The real NYPD should be involved. This is the only job I've gotten in almost two years because of the terrible job market, so I can't quit. Uhg.. I hate this.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Sounds just like the school where I used to teach. In the hallways & classrooms the marijuana smell was pungent on a daily basis. Teachers would complain to the deans & head of security & they'd brush it off. They'd actually say "oh it's cigarette smoke & they're smoking outside" so they wouldn't have to do anything about it.... talk about being in denial & avoiding a major problem!!!!

I don't know what the solution is, but good luck, I hope it gets resolved. You're right, you definitely shouldn't have to deal with that!!

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Maybe it's because I work in a special needs high school that is very focused on cracking down on smoking of any kind...but, I am horrified reading this. Can you place a call to the police yourself? Not sure it would do any good. Awful

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

DH is a dean in a NYC doe HS and that does not happen at all in his school. He has kids arrested for things like that. Aren't there cops assigned to your school?

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

I would call the police yourself (anonymously) and maybe alert the Board of Ed?

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

That would never fly in my school. If they think someone is smoking cigarettes in the bathroom, they need to be escorted to and front he bathroom. If it was pot, they would be in so much trouble.

Can you alert the police anonymously and see if they can do anything about it? If a student was caught smoking pot in my school, the authorities would be definitely be notified and they would be suspended anywhere from 5 days - permanently.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Message edited 4/21/2012 8:08:00 AM.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

There is a NYS law that NO ONE is allowed to smoke ANYWHERE on a NYS school campus. I know because I work security in a middle school on LI and have been told my by boss to make sure no one does this. There are signs indicating this outside of the HS as well. Maybe contact the state or Department of Health? Good luck...

Taken from the Department of Health website:
NYS LAW
"School grounds" means any building, structure, and surrounding outdoor grounds contained within a public or private pre-school, nursery school, elementary or secondary school's legally defined property boundaries as registered in a county clerk's office, and any vehicles used to transport children or school personnel.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

I would report it to the local precinct. shit's changed so much since I was a teenager.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

I worked in the worst HS in NYC, they closed it down it was so bad. This NEVER happened, EVER.

I would contact the police, as NYC and Queens resident I find it shameful that the Principal does nothing.

Wild guess, is this one of these "new" small academies? They closed the HS I worked in to open 5 academies...5 new Principals and staff who have no idea how to run a school and this is the sort of thing that happens..(sorry for the rant lol)


ETA: I would say contact the Superintendent but if the Principal is doing nothing about it whose to say the Superintendent will be any better.

Message edited 4/21/2012 8:44:31 AM.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

I can't believe your principal has a job.

He/She should be fired immediately. This is ridiculous and should not be tolerated.

Can you report it to the police, I agree annoymously. You don't want to get into 'trouble' at work or jeopardize your career. Not that you could officially get in trouble, but people could make it tough for you KWIM.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

My HS in Brooklyn has been closed down for a while. When I went there in 92 - it was horrific. I'm shocked it took this long to close down.

Smoking weed was the LEAST of it's problems.

While I was there:

People being Robbed and RAPED in stairways.

A Dean was thrown down an elevator shaft.

Drug deals constantly in halls, classrooms, everywhere


What you're talking about it just the beginning of the end. Teachers don't care, administrators don't care - if they try to do something, it turns into a witch hunt on them. Remember Lean On me? Parents today don't see their children as a problem. And If they do, they expect YOU to fix it.

It stinks that the teaching jobs are so scarce. I think the ONLY thing you can do is keep trying to get out of that school every chance you get and hope something happens sooner then later.

You're not going to get high from someone smoking in the hall. I wouldn't worry about that

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Message edited 4/26/2012 11:06:30 AM.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Thanks for the responses. I find the in-school pot smoking incredibly shocking. I have never seen this in my life. Then again I never saw a student scream "suck my dik" to a teacher before either. That happens a few times a week and no one gets in trouble. Students do get sexually assaulted in the halls and do not report it. There are a few sweet kids in the school that I know are suffering and don't deserve this. The majority of kids behave horrendously. I think NYC should make a new teacher rating system based on how much abuse the teachers take. I am going to see what I can do regarding making an anonymous call somewhere.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

OMG this terrifies me on so many levels. These kids are the future of our counrty. They show no respect for adults or anyone else for that matter.

Re: Pot smoke in the halls of a HS

Posted by Hope2009

I would report it to the local precinct. shit's changed so much since I was a teenager.