cannabisnews.com: Stratford Raid Criticized, Praised Stratford Raid Criticized, Praised Posted by CN Staff on November 12, 2003 at 10:13:43 PT By Seanna Adcox Of The Post and Courier Staff Source: Post and Courier Moncks Corner -- Parents demanded accountability Tuesday for last week's drug raid at Stratford High School, in which police officers charged into the school with guns drawn. Some called for the resignation of Principal George McCrackin for inviting police into Berkeley County's largest school. "I'm angry," Sharon Smalls, parent of a 14-year-old at Stratford High, said during the Berkeley County School Board meeting. "My child was slammed to the ground with a gun to his head. These police had to be invited into Stratford. Someone has to take responsibility." In Goose Creek, discussion of the Stratford High School incident was brief at the City Council meeting Tuesday night with only one person in the crowd speaking out against the police actions. "They way overstated the problem," said Rick Porter of Goose Creek. "It was scare tactic for the kids, and it scared them. It worked."Parents complained that City Council and the school board met at the same time, which didn't allow them to attend both meetings. Both were regularly scheduled meetings.About 100 people packed the school board room and eight parents spoke for 45 minutes. When tempers flared, board Chairwoman Harriet Dangerfield said Smalls had a right to be angry. Others murmured support as speakers complained.Parent Ronald Stafford wanted assurances that something like this wouldn't happen again. He said he thinks students need trauma counselors and called for accountability."I hope someone is disciplined. If that includes firing, so be it," said the Rev. Richard Harkness, whose children attend schools in Moncks Corner."There's got to be a change" in the school's administration, said parent Katherine Lee, whose son attends Stratford.Dangerfield asked speakers not to call McCrackin, other administrators or students by name, warning that she would call them out of order."There's a state statute in school law that says if any administrator is aware or suspects criminal activity, he is required by law to report it to law enforcement," Superintendent Chester Floyd said before parents spoke."I do believe we have people who want us to do everything we can to have a safe environment. I don't believe these particular tactics are acceptable. I am sure everyone is going to learn some lessons from this," he said. Stratford High School freshman Cedric Penn, one of the students in the hall, said officers waved a gun in his face. At first, he thought it was a terrorist attack, he said."They didn't have to do all that," he said.Parents said board members were not giving them the answers they wanted. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/criticized.htmSource: Post and Courier, The (Charleston, SC)Author: Seanna Adcox Of The Post and Courier Staff Published: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Evening Post Publishing Co.Website: http://www.charleston.net/Contact: letters postandcourier.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:ACLUhttp://www.aclu.org/SSDPhttp://www.ssdp.org/Just Say No To Gun-Wielding Cops in Schoolhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17778.shtmlS.C. Probes High School Drug Sweep http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17759.shtmlSLED Investigating Stratford Drug Sweep http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17758.shtmlPolice Fail To Find Drugs in Stratford High Raid http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17751.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #23 posted by Virgil on November 12, 2003 at 19:00:48 PT Got terror? The scary thing about this story is that about one in three people thought this act was reasonable. They really need to get a class action lawsuit going on behalf of the public good and to educate the one in three that have fallen into la-la land and prefer it to reality.This is a powerful illustration on this disgusting abuse of the abuse known in the real world as the War of Insanity- http://dvdeland.com/terror.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by afterburner on November 12, 2003 at 17:17:53 PT: Re: Rush's Quick Cure Maybe somebody turned Rush onto Ibogaine, or maybe it's all hype. [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by FoM on November 12, 2003 at 15:31:52 PT Check This Out! This is worth watching from Comedy Central.http://highwire.stanford.edu/~straffin/JS1111.rm [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by AlvinCool on November 12, 2003 at 15:27:55 PT LTE How interesting is your article concerning criticism of the Stratford school raid by the local sheriffs office. To allow this type of behavior certifies that any group of people, assembled anywhere can be thrown to the ground, handcuffed and look at drawn weapons that could instantly end your life or the life of others. It could be at the local mall, restaurant or a dance club. The police all fear that people want to shoot them so they feel the need to employ more military tactics and instantly strike first with non lethal force and arm themselves in a ready position to quickly shoot if necessary. These are the same tactics that the Tiger Force used to stay alive. Too bad it was the worst massacre in the Vietnam War covering a long time span. When eye contact was made if they felt you looked at them the wrong way they just shot you. Thousands dead.Why would we want our police officers to be in that frame of mind? Wouldn’t you have to be to draw weapons on kids? [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Dankhank on November 12, 2003 at 14:03:52 PT call the man and all the others http://www.berkeley.k12.sc.us/HIGH/SHS/voice/voice.htmis where to find extensions ...While trying to get to George thru the seemingly impenetrable directory, alas ... mayhap I was too medicated to make sense of "use7 for Q and 9 for Z."this will help those similarly handicapped, albeit a temporary thing ... 'cept for those pesky voicemail thingies ... :-)by the way, as I stumbled thru that dammed directoy I left lightly mocking comments for random faculty and staff asking them if they like/agree with their fascist principalyou can do it, too!!!!!!!!!!!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by Jose Melendez on November 12, 2003 at 13:05:59 PT Go MAX! here's the fax numberFax: (843) 820-4044If you have a phone line please go to http://dvdeland.com/terror.html and fax the page there, print it out if you need to! [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by RasAric on November 12, 2003 at 12:39:06 PT Max Flowers Well at this point the principals secretary was unable(ya right, try unwilling) to speak with me regarding "the incident at the high school". The receptionist is taking messages though. I told her that, "due to the way the principal and law enforcement approach the drug situation at Stratford, I will not be enrolling my child and highly encourage principal McCrackin's resignation"... I'll see your dollars to donuts and raise you ten donut holes that soon the school will be resorting to voicemail. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Max Flowers on November 12, 2003 at 12:00:34 PT Three words: CLASS ACTION LAWSUITWith the main cause of action being exactly what E_Johnson says: Emotional distress, also throw in causes related to abuse of power under color of authority, illegal search and seizure (HELLO, there was no warrant, no evidence, no real probable cause, you can't legally harass an entire student body!!), all kinds of constitutional rights violations by both the school and the police. Or don't minors have any constitutional rights? [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by E_Johnson on November 12, 2003 at 11:49:57 PT Teens are very vulnerable to traumatization Scientists have discovered that some crucial brain development is still taking place during adolescence, and because of that, teens are not as resilient to this kind of tramatic event as has been assumed in the past.This won't scare them in a good way. This will give some of them brain damage that can lead to later learning difficulties.Some of those kids are never going to feel safe in that school again.When you get a gun waved in your face at school, it doesn't matter who is waving it. It's a gun being waved in your face and it's terrifying no matter whose finger is on the trigger. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on November 12, 2003 at 11:42:27 PT Had Enough I believe you. It's amazing that they think someone with that pill habit could be drug free and cured in a month. I shake me head a lot these days. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on November 12, 2003 at 11:38:04 PT Max Flowers Thank You! [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Had Enough on November 12, 2003 at 11:37:09 PT Addiction This must be sure-fire proof that addiction to opiates is easier to kick than cigarette addiction. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Max Flowers on November 12, 2003 at 11:33:40 PT Just called again... It was obvious that the school receptionist (poor woman) is about to quit in tears, they're getting deluged in phone calls and I'd bet dollars to donuts that most of those calls aren't well-wishers. McCrackin is hiding behind his secretary at this point. I left a quick message for McCrackin that went like this:"This is from the American people, and we demand McCrackin's resignation"The receptionist : "Oh, ummm, I'll transfer you to his secretary..." [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Had Enough on November 12, 2003 at 11:30:32 PT Rush is cured That's what they said, "cured from his addiction". [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on November 12, 2003 at 11:25:29 PT Cured from His Addiction??? Had Enough that's too much!We really need to learn how he was so quickly cured. It must be a remarkable new discovery! [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Had Enough on November 12, 2003 at 11:22:15 PT Rush is Back Off Topic but here it is.This just in from the airwaves through the Golden Microphone at the EIB Network. Rush has completed his rehab and is cured from his addiction. He will return to the air Monday. It was said that he was chomping at the bit to get back on the air.What a marvelous recovery. Will he thank the "National Enquirer" for saving his life? [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by kaptinemo on November 12, 2003 at 11:14:26 PT: Unrelated Al-Jazeera reports the top Colombian anti-narco has resigned amid corruption charges: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/EF3B125B-EF7D-4FC8-AE4B-AEB1FBE69BD8.htmLike we used to sing on marches: "Heeeeeeere we go again! Same old sh- again!..."They may as well install an elevator and make the anti-narco office basement into a prison...for former heads of the office, that is. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Max Flowers on November 12, 2003 at 11:09:12 PT Just talked to this Nazi McCrackin on the phone Couldn't believe I got him on the phone but I did and I let him have it slowly, I wanted to keep him from hanging up on me immediately. I could hear the confusion and anxiety in his voice, and it was obvious he (and the school) is now beseiged. I told him he had opened a huge box of problems and created a historical blunder and delivered a huge insult to the freedom and decency of Americans. He lamely tried to justify his actions but also admitted that he "didn't think it was gonna go down like that". When he realized I was only on the phone to give him grief, he ended the conversation but not before I called him a fascist.I urge 100 others to do the same today, and another 100 tomorrow. The phone number is (843) 820-4000.People are going to learn real fast that there are repercussions for this kind of Nazi like behavior. They are not going to have business as usual for a very long time at that school.MF [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on November 12, 2003 at 11:01:58 PT: But ONE thing is for certain As predicted in a few posts back, the SSDP is on its' way to meet with parents and students. Now that the true wages of the War on (Some) Drugs has been made crystal clear to those affected parents, public awareness of the ramifications of this 88-year-long insanity will begin to affect those who previously...like those parents, I'm sad to say..couldn't have cared less.It's long past time... [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by RasAric on November 12, 2003 at 10:59:50 PT McCrackin + Police = Unsafe & paranoid schools This principal and the police are way out of line. Sure the principal may be required to call the police in a drug related situation....BUT, just because an informant says there supposedly drugs in the school is no excuse to treat every or any kid as a terrorist threat. This country is really gotten way to hyped about anything that may pose any type of threat. Reacting to fear with violence is the real threat to our wellbeing.McCrack-head is a disgrace because, even though he may have been obligated to call the police, he justified their inexcuseable behaviour. Because of this, he has shown that he is not fit to run a school(nor a family for that matter).The police, on the other hand, are completely out of line. They sound like first year rookies who probably graduated high school themselves not too long ago. They should all have their badges revoked. This would send a message to the next wave of law enforcement regarding how high school kids ought to be treated... Because some rat cries drugs, the police should not have the right to act as if they were up against a Columbine High situation.There I'm done preaching to the choir. Love Love Love [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on November 12, 2003 at 10:48:45 PT: My God, has this woman leaned NOTHING???? There's a quote from one of the (VERY) few supporters of the police in which she says she wouldn't mind her son, who was not present during the raid, to be faced with a drawn weapon, thrown to the ground and handcuffed..because, quote, "he is innocent".So were many victims of the SA, the SS and the Gestapo, madame. Not to mention every incarnation of the Cheka (last known as the KGB, remember them?) and Mao's Revolutionary Guards. Not to mention Pol Pot's tender mercies distributed by his Khmer Rouge.If this product of 20th Century public education, who received the same curriculum I did, can make such a statement, willingly abrogating her rights in the face of historical examples of what happens when you grant police too much leverage, then America is in deep doo-doo. The Marching Morons have taken over. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by ron on November 12, 2003 at 10:47:45 PT Drug War Idiocy of the Month = Stratford High So far that is... who knows what's next. This year has been a doozy. Imagine sending Tommy to jail at 65 just because he showed how ridiculous this crap was a quarter century ago. Or denying Ed basic rights in a court of law. Keep it up warriors, I mean terrorists. You're making our case with this lunacy. By the way Mr Walters, how come no official website says anything about Anslinger?Debate eh, Mr. Walters. That'll be the day. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on November 12, 2003 at 10:38:43 PT Cedric, you're right "Stratford High School freshman Cedric Penn, one of the students in the hall, said officers waved a gun in his face. At first, he thought it was a terrorist attack, he said. "Your first instincts were right, Cedric. It was a terrorist attack, but it was the domestic institutionalized variety of terrorism called the War on Drugs, the American Jihad. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment