Pubdate: Fri, 24 Oct 2003 Source: Alliston Herald (CN ON) Copyright: 2003 Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing Contact: http://www.simcoe.com/sc/alliston/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2224 Author: Daniel Galea STRICTER PENALTIES NEEDED IN HIGH SCHOOL In the last while during our provincial and municipal elections there has been lots of talking about more funding will mean better schools for us kids. But there are cheaper and more long lasting ways to boost kid's marks and attendance records. I am a Grade 11 student at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Tottenham. The main problems at high schools today, at least in my opinion are skipping and drugs. Kids are more interested in skipping class and smoking pot than coming to classes and getting a good education. Kids, like myself, who attend classes every day possible, are shunned for being "un-cool" and are not allowed to be part of any kind of group. If schools would enforce more strict penalties on students who do this, like actual jail time, I would bet that skipping and drug related incident would be less frequent and there would be improved attendance and grades at our schools. Daniel Galea, Cookstown - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens