Middle school students sometimes party with high school students in the Wood River Valley.
"Its not unusual to see middle school kids at high school parties. It's accepted. It's common," said Tom Bailey, Hailey Elementary School principal and former Wood River Middle School principal.
He is not alone in his observation. School officials say pre-teens are exposed to drugs and alcohol long before their high school days.
A number of school officials interviewed about teen drug use point to the social anomaly that welcomes pre-teens to teenage events.
"You will have seniors partying with seventh-graders," said John Blackman, Wood River High School vice principal.
The open invitations can introduce adolescents to illegal drugs before their high school days.
"Our middle school kids are exposed and have access to these things," Bailey said.
According to Tod Gunter, Wood River Middle School social worker, drinking appeals to middle school students because the habit symbolizes adult behaviors.
"Going to a party and hanging out with high schoolers, drinking and using (drugs), makes them feel more like they belong, makes them feel like they are not middle schoolers," Gunter said.
Educators say young teens access drugs and alcohol through connections to the high school social network.
"I think some of our older kids aren't being good examples to the younger kids," Blackman said.
The network allows younger students, particularly young girls, to call older students to access illegal substances.
"There is a connection between eighth- and ninth-grade girls being able to access drugs and alcohol from junior and senior boys that are interested in something other than drugs and alcohol," Gunter said.
Asked about the extent to which middle school students use methamphetamine, Gunter said he sees child protection issues related to parental meth use, rather than usage among middle school students.
According to Wood River Middle School Principal Fritz Peters, middle school drug use is minimal.
"I don't feel there is a big drug problem, or any drug problem at all," he said.
The school's discipline reports show drug use at the Hailey-based middle school is declining. The school reports one drug violation, a prescription medicine, to date this year. Last year saw one infraction. Ten drug violations occurred during the 2003-2004 school year.
Peters attributes the decrease in drug use to the enforcement of policies, more supervision and greater consequences.
More supervision comes with surveillance cameras installed at the school during the 2004-2005 school year. Peters declined to say how many cameras are at the school.
Evidence of heightened attention came the first week in December, when a drug dog made an inaugural visit to the campus. During the visit, the dog did not locate any drugs.
Peters said the results validated his feelings.
"I think the community does need to increase the awareness. I just do not see it here at the middle school," he said.
