Education under the Influence? Marijuana Causing Reduced Performance in School

Greta Jenkins

But despite years of drug awareness activities, Excelsior High School still struggles to reach some of its students. The school reports that there are students who attend classes while under the influence of drugs –and as a result, has recorded several dropouts. We asked Counselor Jenkins if the news of the decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana has pushed them to design their awareness message differently this year.

Greta Jenkins, Counselor, Excelsior High School

“It has made it more challenging for us working in the schools because they feel like it is ok for them to have it. But what we try to do is let them know that it might be okay if you have it at your house but when you bring it on the compound then it turns into an offence that is trafficking, so we try to educate them on that; that is a crime if you bring it on the compound.”

Andrea Polanco

“How much of a problem is this at the school; do you see students who are engaged in these activities and how does it affect their over-all performance?”

Greta Jenkins

“Well, I must say that we have some parents that allow some children to smoke marijuana and they say that it is a pattern because their parents allowed them and now they are allowing their children to do it because it didn’t affect them so it isn’t going to affect their child. And so it is a challenge trying to get parents to come onboard and we find ourselves like we are negotiating telling them we can’t stop them at your house but at least we are asking you to let them come sober to school.”

Andrea Polanco

“How does this affect their performance in school?”

Greta Jenkins

“It does. I must say that I have been at this school a little over nine years and I must say that I have seen a lot of students dropped out of high school because of marijuana use, all the way to third form, fourth form. And I notice in the first and second year students they come in and their spelling and vocab is good and by the time they reach second or third form they can’t even spell and then they start getting angry; they get aggressive and they feel like they are calm but other people are seeing different behaviors in them.”