Pubdate: Fri, 09 Apr 2004
Source: Burlington Times-News (NC)
Copyright: 2004 The Times-News Publishing Company
Contact: http://www.thetimesnews.com/letter_to_editor/splash.php
Website: http://www.thetimesnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1822
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)

STUDENTS MUST LEARN FROM CHOICES

Heft Four Nickels In Your Hand.

That's about the weight of marijuana that gave JamesOn Curry a criminal 
record and spiked a college scholarship and career playing hoops at UNC. 
Heft three dimes in your other hand.

That's about the weight of marijuana that sent Jeff Webster to jail for 
five to six months. Both young men were among some four dozen students 
arrested after an undercover drug operation in the area schools. News of 
the operation and arrests gave rise to intense feelings. Some praised the 
school superintendent for initiating the operation. Others took him to task 
for bringing law enforcement officers into the school. Some people said it 
was about time some action was taken. Some said they felt the undercover 
agents entrapped defendants. Only Webster chose to go to trial on his 
arrest. The others worked out plea arrangements, with those with clean 
records getting identical judgments: 36 months of probation and 200 hours 
of community service. We hope the students take a lesson away from this 
ordeal. They got good deals with the plea bargains. They will have to 
adhere to specific behavior while on probation, and will serve the 
community. They will have criminal records, and have suffered by 
disappointing family and friends. But these events are not insurmountable. 
This is a chance to take another path in life, a path that can be much 
brighter. Perhaps the drug sweep was enough to scare those who did not get 
caught into straightening up and flying right. These teenagers got painful 
lessons in life. In these times, we are assaulted by the glamour of dope, 
drinking, and sex. Some heed the warnings. Others are compelled to 
experiment in the forbidden, not unusual for people since the beginning of 
time. Even Adam and Eve caved in to temptation. Every day, people are faced 
with temptations and choices. Some are as benign as rolling through a stop 
sign when no other cars are around. Others are as devastating as taking a 
hit off a crack pipe or pulling the trigger on an innocent. We all heft 
"coins" of choices on a daily basis. Their weights are as varied as their 
consequences.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom