Let’s be careful what we teach kids

So someone had to open a can of worms on (Surprise!) Facebook. April 19th went along just as any day. Then my teenage son mentioned how annoying it will be at school the following day due to all of the stoned students. Why? Most people who don’t live under a rock have heard the slang term 420, meaning “time to get high”, a young marijuana enthusiast term. Thus April 20 is the day of celebration of pot-smoking for those who enjoy this still-illegal drug. As a responsible parent, I find myself on the conservative side of this and therefore don’t feel that it is acceptable. But I digress…. I happened to check my Facebook News Feed and saw that a (drug-free) friend posted that her child’s elementary school was hosting “Hippie Day” on April 20th. She made the connection (she doesn’t live under a rock). Over the next day or two I checked back to see the comments that followed and was horrified to discover that even the Principal of this elementary school and a teacher or two seemed to think this was cool/ok/funny and a teacher even commented that she wished she had some 420 after school. Wow…. Unbelievable… These are the people we entrust our children to every day. You don’t think some of the children will make this connection and move up from dressing like a hippie to pot smoker in the next few years? And here’s a thought: What are some of the main qualities that “hippies” represent? Are those really values we want to instill in our children? Do you think teenagers don’t have ways of obtaining pot to “celebrate” 4-20? You don’t think these ideas about what is acceptable or not begin at elementary school age? You don’t think that current and former students of said elementary school including some in middle and high school currently are able to view Facebook posts and comments and see what teachers and principal are ok with those types of ideas and/or think it’s funny? What does that demonstrate to them? It is apparent to me that society is on a downward spiral until adults become adults, especially parents and teachers and go back to conservative values and teach children to be clean and sober by word and by example. Too many parents and other adults are too busy thinking about their own wants and needs and this includes getting high if they feel like it. The explosion of “medical” marijuana “clinics” and Cards has overwhelmingly pushed too many people to believe that marijuana is legal and/or ok. Today’s society has become so selfish and thoughtless. It’s time to get sober and motivated and change for the better for our kids!

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