Letter: Parents Should Be Concerned About Violence, Drug Use

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To the Editor:

Parents. Guardians. Friends. Family. We all know that we have a problem in our schools.

Fights. Vape pens. Marijuana. And edibles (gummies) none of this is going to let up. It will only get worse.

Yes, we all know we lack resource officers. Even with the help of the officers and the school this is still going to happen. What I am worried about is the drugs that are surfacing and kids coming home telling you, if they do. That this is going on, this person has this, or that but no one does anything about it.

Why cause the school and police can't really do anything unless they know who has it, where it came from. Yes, they have videos they can look at but some kids know where cameras are. There are some kids there that don't really understand about drugs. Well it could be the wrong kid he or she hangs with and asks do you have any candy or I'm hungry, etc.

The person gives him or her candy or food which isn't candy or food. Something happens, feels funny, has no idea what's happening. This autistic kid only knows he or she ate candy or food, doesn't know who gave it to him or her just thought in his mind that someone was helping him by giving him something to eat. Classmate at that.

Ends up in the hospital or something worse. Or one of your kids end up eating a whole bag of gummies thinking it's regular gummies

You get that call somethings wrong with your child he's doesn't want to tell you what happened cause he's so high, slurring words. Seeing thing that aren't there and so on which is very frightening and upsetting. Then your blaming the school, which now your wondering how these kids are affording this stuff either by selling it or was given to sell for some one else this is why parents need to start being involved. Who wants to see there child in a hospital or worse from an overdose that could have been prevented?

So parents keep your eyes out for signs. Check bags, if possible. Call school or police anonymously and let them know.
This is the only way we can help keep our kids safe. Just because our kids are in school it's not just the schools' problem, it's ours too, we brought them into this world.

To learn from us the rights and wrongs. To get an education they are still our kids that we care and protect. Help fight violence and addiction in our schools.

Kathy Armstrong
Pittsfield, Mass. 

 

 

 

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Man Found Guilty of Assaulting Girls in Pittsfield Park Last Year

Staff reportsiBerkshires
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A man was found guilty of assault after providing alcohol to underage girls in a park last year.
 
Chase Wood, 21, was found guilty by a jury of his peers on Friday, Oct. 9, of multiple charges connected to an assault and battery of a minor, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office reported. 
 
Wood was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault and battery, one count of assault and battery, one count of assault to rape, one count of indecent assault and battery under 14, and three counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
 
On Oct. 16, a judge sentenced him to 2 1/2 years in the Berkshire County House of Corrections, with an additional 2 1/2 years on and after the first sentence followed by three years of probation. The commonwealth requested a total sentence of seven to nine years in state prison. 
 
Police said Wood connected with three juvenile girls at a Pittsfield park last summer, bringing alcohol and supplying it to them, and after consuming the alcohol, gave the three juveniles a ride on his e-bike and began attempting to assault them.
 
"Two girls were able to rebuff him but a third was unable to due to her position on the e-bike. He then took the third girl to a secluded area of the park in an attempt to further assault her. When she tried to resist him, he proceeded to violently drag her into the woods," the DA wrote. 
 
"Ultimately, all three girls were able to escape."
 
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