Third-graders caught smoking pot at school face disciplinary action

Officials in Sonora have not disclosed how they plan to discipline three third-graders who were caught smoking marijuana inside a school bathroom.

Leigh Shampain, joint superintendent of Sonora and Sommerville elementary schools, told The Union Democrat officials do not discuss specifics of disciplinary cases and that this is the first time anything like this has come across his desk since he began the job.

Two of the third-graders at at Sonora Elementary School were 8 years old, the other 9, authorities said. Another student who walked in and caught them in the act Feb. 27 alerted school officials, who then reported it to police, according to KPIX-TV.

The students were not identified and their gender was not revealed.

The Union Democrat reported that the district also has a “zero tolerance” policy, but it was unclear if it would be applied to the third-graders.

Probation officials in Tuolumne County are also now investigating how the group of young students got their hands on the marijuana.

“We saw the three kids get taken out of the bathroom, but that is all we saw,” seventh-grader Mary Montano told KTXL-TV.

According to the news station, students on campus have not seen the three kids since the incident.

“[I’m] shocked. To be in third grade and have their own pipe,” parent Linda Rodriguez told KTXL-TV. “I think they should be expelled, but I also think they should follow it further to where they found [the drugs].”

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