What is it with teens smoking on school property in this day and age?  Not only is it against the law but with all the medical information out there now-a-days it almost seems worse then when I went to school in the 80's and 90's.  And where are the school representatives?  Teachers, Vice Principle, Principle?  No one seems to care that this is happening at an alarming rate.

My twin daughters started going to a new school here in London, Ontario this year called London South Collegiate School.  Despite being told that it is one of the best high schools here in London I have to question how people have formed that impression, because in my opinion, if this is one of the best schools in London, then the education system here is greatly lacking.  Not to mention the health of the students certainly doesn't take precedence.

The previous two years my daughters attended school in the US.  In fact, schools rated "Excellent with Distinction".  Schools where the students are encouraged to participate in the school/community or the activities provided by the school.  For example, the many teams and extra activities the school offers to wearing the team or school colors one day per week to attending the games.  This really gave my daughters a feeling of belonging to a community within their community.  And this doesn't start in Middle school, this is bred into the children from the moment they start school in Kindergarten.  Which could be a good reason most of the kids that attend these schools have a higher sense of self.  The teachers/administration also seem to have a greater responsibility toward the children that attend the schools and take school offenses very seriously.

Within a week of dropping my kids off and picking them up everyday from their new school I noticed one large difference.  The kids at this school blatantly smoked within feet of the doors of the school and the signs that state "No Smoking on School Property" and quoting some provincial ordinance.  Not only is this a school policy but it's the law.  In fact most, if not all places in Canada/USA have a law in place that prohibits young people under the age of 18 from purchasing cigarettes let alone allowing them to smoke right in front of the school doors.

I certainly don't want this to turn into an article on who has the better educational system or which country cares more for the well being of it's kids.  That's not the point in this article.  The point I am getting to is this, Why would any school allow it's students to smoke on school property?  Why not put a bar in the school and allow the kids to shoot back a couple vodka shots at lunch?

Why should I have to drop my kids off in the morning or pick them up after school just for them to have to walk through the fog of second hand smoke being forced upon them?  And it's not like the school is unaware.  If fact on a few occasions when picking up my daughters the Vice Principle was standing out there with the smoking students.  Certainly not passing out detentions or discouraging the behaviour.  I didn't see any students hiding the fact that they were lighting up or tossing the remains of their destructive behaviour to save themselves from the consequences that may have been coming with the Vice Principle standing there.  The students continued puffing away as if it was their right to destroy their own bodies, infect those around them and break laws in the process.

Another question would be, Why are school administrators allowing this to happen?  Why is it day in and day out teens continue to blatantly smoke on school property without a word spoken to them?  Is it because the school administrators or teachers don't feel this is an important enough issue to take a stand on?  After all it is ONLY the health and well being of the rest of the student population being forced to breath the second hand smoke clouding the school.  Isn't that why people can no longer light up in restaurants or bars or on hospital properties across this nation?  To give the general population a fighting chance against the numerous diseases caused by second hand smoke.  Then why allow 13-18 year olds to infect our kids everyday at the one institution that is supposed to be protecting them and molding them into our next generation of leaders?

London South, I am sure, is not the only school with this problem.  Although I cannot speak for other schools in Ontario or across Canada for that matter as I have not witnessed this first hand else where but I am 99% sure it is going on.  Why, as a parent, should I support such behaviour?  From the young people or from the school?  I shouldn't and neither should you!  It is an outrage that we idly sit back and have to wait for school administrators or community administrators to finally do something.  This is an intolerable issue that should be taken seriously and harsh punishments handed out for.  Starting with detention, calls home, suspension and even fines sent home to the parents that are so oblivious to their kids behaviour that perhaps a wake up call is needed.  And to the administration that sits back and lets it happen on a daily basis, shame on you!  It is not only your job to discourage smoking on school property it is the law that you stop smoking from happening on school property.  Don't just hang a sign out on the walls of the school and expect young people to listen.  Get involved and do something!  Protect ALL the students and enforce the law!

If this is happening in your community, at your kids schools and you feel helpless - DON'T!  Contact the school first, if that doesn't work, contact your Mayor's office and get direction from them on what can be done to enforce the law and finally if that seems like a waste of time contact your local news office.  I'm sure this is a news worthy enough story to tell.  As parents our responsibility does not stop at the front door when our kids leave.  It is a 24 hour job.  And we DO have the power to protect them no matter where they may be.

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