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Principal creates furor, orders moms, dads to class

WorldNetDaily

A principal in a Massachusetts school district has created a furor by ordering parents to attend a drug forum that is being planned, under the threat that their children will not be allowed to participate in clubs and sports if they fail to follow his orders.

The threat from officials at the Swampscott School District is being reported by the Salem News online. And it left commentator Michael Graham of 96.9 FM in Boston aghast.

"Swampscott officials insist that their middle and high schools are awash in drugs and drugged out teens. The proof? They've had FIVE whole incidents of drinking or drug activity. Five! Oh, and when they brought the drug-sniffing dogs to school, very little 'contraband' was found," he reported.

"Oh, but there was a survey of the students themselves, and the kids are bragging .. er 'reporting' that everyone's doing drugs. And we all know that 15-year-olds would never lie or exaggerate about that.

"And so parents SHALL come and sit through a boring, pointless lecture of obvious information ('doing drugs is bad!') or else their kids will be punished," he wrote.

"You've been warned, you taxpaying peons. Obey – or else," he wrote.

The strategy is from high school principal Layne Millington, and is supported by the superintendent, Lynne Celli.

"We'd like to believe we are inviting the partnership. We're not being heavy-handed," Celli told the Boston Fox station.

According to the Salem News, some parents are objecting to the mandatory attendance.

"The school has no legal right to compel parents to do anything," Judith Brooks, the parent of a high school student, told the News. "We're not under their thumb."

But school officials expressed little worry.

"I'm sure there are people irritated about this," school committee Chairwoman Jackie Kinney told the reporter, "and if you're irritated, you don't have to come to the meeting, but you'll have to explain that to your kids."

The meeting is set Jan. 10 and addresses drug and alcohol abuse.

Millington said he's had a few calls from parents complaining about the mandatory nature of the meeting, but said he's planning for a 6 p.m. meeting for parents of freshman and sophomores and another at 7:15 for parents of juniors and seniors since the auditorium won't hold everyone for one meeting.

Another parent, Judith Bevis, told the Fox station, "They have no legal right to do it. They don't have a leg to stand on."

School officials did not respond to a WND request for comment tonight.

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