Taylor Elem Arlington teachers caught smoking pot in school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gotta wonder who does the hiring in Arlington. The bar is apparently much lower than I would have thought.

Yeah. If only they had asked, “will you be smoking pot on school grounds?” this never would have happened.

Taylor parents say the guys were great PE teachers (which has not always been the case at Taylor). And they came from another APS school, so it's not as though they were new and stupid. (They were just young and stupid.)

[Anonymous]

I see from the letter to parents that the school plans to discuss the incident with students. How do you think that will go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gotta wonder who does the hiring in Arlington. The bar is apparently much lower than I would have thought.

They are 20 something gym teachers. Not that surprising.

[Anonymous]

Does APS do any random drug testing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does APS do any random drug testing?

+1 This seems like a no-brainer. Any job where an adult is a role model/teacher should screen for this. Many jobs require this up front during the hiring process (Federal jobs). This plus periodic drug testing would surely keep things like this in check and also send a signal of zero tolerance, ie those who use need not apply. Good judgement should be pretty high on list of things to assess when hiring - these guys clearly lacked this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does APS do any random drug testing?

+1 This seems like a no-brainer. Any job where an adult is a role model/teacher should screen for this. Many jobs require this up front during the hiring process (Federal jobs). This plus periodic drug testing would surely keep things like this in check and also send a signal of zero tolerance, ie those who use need not apply. Good judgement should be pretty high on list of things to assess when hiring - these guys clearly lacked this.

Assuming APS does not currently conduct drug screening and decides to implement it after this incident, could they begin immediately or would they have to give their teachers/staff a grace period first?

[Anonymous]

Wouldn’t any one have noticed that the PE teachers were ordering 3 or 4 pizzas every day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is incredibly stupid and inappropriate of them and they absolutely deserve to be fired. It’s also kind of hilarious.

Yes to this. The only hilarious part is that they are mostly likely surprised they got caught. Morons. Go get a job slinging beers at TGIFridays kids.

Are you implying that only 'kids' smoke weed? If so, you live in a bubble, sweetie. Lots and lots and lots of 'important' adults smoke weed. My neighbor (with a very google-able name) with the NTSB buys weed from the same guy I do. Ever been to a Smithsonian event? It reeks of weed.

You do it at work? That's the stupid part. I don't care what anyone does on their own time. But they had better not be getting high at WORK during work hours. Especially when that work includes being an example of health.

Taylor parent here. This was my reaction.

Of course not. But the poster I was addressing didn't stipulate the conditions under which smoking weed was acceptable. It was weed smokers = 'kids' in service jobs.

My point is simply that people our age (mid 30s) grew up with a very different perspective on weed. We tend to view it as an extremely minor intoxicant. Many hold alcohol higher in terms of impairment.

I don't like the dinosaur-age assumption that all people that smoke weed are long haired, anti-social ne'er do wells. The guy I buy weed from has a BS from ***** and a JD from **** and works for the DOJ. He volunteers for youth basketball and is an all around decent guy that contributes positively to the community. He also doesn't mess around on his wife, something I can't say for a lot of the heavy drinkers I know.

Relax I was the one who called them "kids". I was implying they are not mature enough to teach. I don't care who smokes weed on their own time. But you are an immature moron if you do it AT WORK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does APS do any random drug testing?

As far as I know, they do not (school bus drivers are a different category and some states and counties do randomly test them from what I understand). States with unions have gone back and forth on this, and it's generally not worth the extra expense or hassle. They might catch a handful of users, but who cares if an otherwise excellent teacher is smoking pot off the clock?

[Anonymous]

TAYLOR Elementary School!!??? TAYLOR!!!?????

In NORTH Arlington!!???

Not Wakefield? Not Hoffman-Boston? Not Randolph?

TAYLOR!!!????

HOW!!!!?????????

What a snob! Honestly, get over yourself if you think these other schools are more likely to have weed-smoking teachers than Taylor. Guess the joke's on you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

TAYLOR Elementary School!!??? TAYLOR!!!?????

In NORTH Arlington!!???

Not Wakefield? Not Hoffman-Boston? Not Randolph?

TAYLOR!!!????

HOW!!!!?????????

What a snob! Honestly, get over yourself if you think these other schools are more likely to have weed-smoking teachers than Taylor. Guess the joke's on you

I’m pretty sure that poster was being sarcastic. I went to Jamestown and then Williamsburg and would bet every penny I have that several of my teachers from both schools smoked pot in their downtime (I don’t blame them).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see from the letter to parents that the school plans to discuss the incident with students. How do you think that will go?

I think few parents will show up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does APS do any random drug testing?

+1 This seems like a no-brainer. Any job where an adult is a role model/teacher should screen for this. Many jobs require this up front during the hiring process (Federal jobs). This plus periodic drug testing would surely keep things like this in check and also send a signal of zero tolerance, ie those who use need not apply. Good judgement should be pretty high on list of things to assess when hiring - these guys clearly lacked this.

You are *exactly* the mom I don't want my kid getting lessons from. Judgmental, black and white vision only-antiquated views on personal freedoms, the whole nine yards.

"those who use need not apply"

Pot? People that smoke a joint every now and then? Wow. But you're cool with parents that drink every single nght, I'm sure.

Are you educated enough to know the impact effect of SSRIs vs cannabis? It's akin to comparing opiates to NSAIDs. Someone that smokes pot once or twice a week to ease arthritis is a degenerate but the skanky 3rd grade teacher on antidepressants and stimulants (who also drinks 21 drinks a week) is OK?

You're clueless and I really hope you don't raise your kid to be likewise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does APS do any random drug testing?

+1 This seems like a no-brainer. Any job where an adult is a role model/teacher should screen for this. Many jobs require this up front during the hiring process (Federal jobs). This plus periodic drug testing would surely keep things like this in check and also send a signal of zero tolerance, ie those who use need not apply. Good judgement should be pretty high on list of things to assess when hiring - these guys clearly lacked this.

The principal does the hiring. And absolutely agree.
I do not see this as something minor. It’s described as a regular event, throughout the day, every day, with their office reeking of it, and them selling to multiple persons; all of which points to poor judgement, and complete disregard for the law and rules. Not exactly the people you want teaching your kids.
It also reflects horribly on the principal- how could she not notice their office reeked of marijuana every day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does APS do any random drug testing?

+1 This seems like a no-brainer. Any job where an adult is a role model/teacher should screen for this. Many jobs require this up front during the hiring process (Federal jobs). This plus periodic drug testing would surely keep things like this in check and also send a signal of zero tolerance, ie those who use need not apply. Good judgement should be pretty high on list of things to assess when hiring - these guys clearly lacked this.

The principal does the hiring. And absolutely agree.
I do not see this as something minor. It’s described as a regular event, throughout the day, every day, with their office reeking of it, and them selling to multiple persons; all of which points to poor judgement, and complete disregard for the law and rules. Not exactly the people you want teaching your kids.
It also reflects horribly on the principal- how could she not notice their office reeked of marijuana every day?

This was an extreme example of something truly stupid, and fortunately rare. The cost of implementing random drug testing wouldn't be worth it. I would rather that money be spent on supplies, building improvements, field trips etc.

There was a Loudoun teacher last week who was caught drinking on the job, 2nd time for Loudoun in recent years, do you also think there should be some kind of test for alcohol use?