Do we really believe this?

This belongs in the Comics section. Ask the students not the PR dept.

round up the usual suspects---no cover up here

Why does everyone believe that the Atherton police had to be involved they have students from MP, PV and Palo Alto and I am sure other towns. It could be one of those agencies or even the DEA who had a large bust over the weekend in EPA.

It appears that a carefully crafted version of the truth has gone out from the school that excludes pertinent details about the story that is circulating. If the drug bust happened off campus, then technically what they say is true. But, was this boy caught with more than pot in his possession is more important than where he was caught. How many students were involved in purchasing, and what and where were they buying? Maybe it was not on campus, but was it nearby and in other places where students hang out? I believe these are details that the community is entitled to know.

When my daughter was in high school kids at SHP weren't allowed to go to their cars during breaks for a reason.

You all need to get a life and read a real newspaper ... how pathetic can this community be? Use your tiny brain neurons for something more intellectual and meaningful than gossiping and speculation.

Yo, bob, nice of you to put it off on other cities! Come on, maybe the kid selling was from RWC, but who was buying? The article stated that if the Atherton police would be involved under any circumstances.

And "Get a life", obviously you have no high school age kids or are in the dark about the realities of life in the teens these days! A little bit arrogant to think that others don't read other papers as well, don't you think?

Hey, parent, "kids" at SHP aren't allowed to go to their cars during break (or Office Hours, Student Life, or Lunch). I don't know where you got that holier-than-thou attitude about when your child was at SHP and how it was different then.

It is odd that the Police were not involved? Marijuana and crystal Meth were involved. For the person who said that the kids were from RWC and EPA - who do you think they were selling it to?

Why aren't the buyers kicked out? Everyone is worried about reputation - they should be worried about kids that never learn the golden rule of real life and addiction. If they live long enough - maybe they will.

Bob - the DEA did a large bust here in EPA over the weekend? I didn't read about it. Can you point me towards some info? It would be much appreciated, thanks!

Sounds like Bob was confusing the silly lil ol' raid in EPA yesterday mornign, which was state-led, not the feds.

ya know, no matter if it is EPA or Atherton or RWC, it all effects MP kids and it is naive to think that MP kids are not involved. It takes money to buy drugs of any kind, and the money is in MP and Atherton. It is curious that the Atherton police were "not involved". If there are kids expelled for "drug related activity" on the campus of an Atherton school, one would think the Atherton police would be notified. Drug dealing is still a crime, right?

oh geez. the kids were at a party in Portola Valley and some were smoking pot in the bathroom. A parent found out and called the school. The school called the kids in and questioned them. One admitted to bringing pot to the party and implicated several other kids. The school could only prove the involvement of one additional student - that student and the one who brought the pot were expelled. There are several others who have been put on warning that if the school finds proof of any illegal activity (on or off campus), they will be expelled. I wouldn't be surprised if there were one or two more kids asked to leave before the school year is out. There were no drugs on campus, no police on campus, nada. Whether or not there were additional drugs and $ found at the kids home, remains a topic of speculation, but if so, it would involve the RWC not Atherton police.

So once again, a tempest in a teapot. It didn't involve EPA, it didn't involved any raids. Merely a party with teens.

and this is one of the many reasons why Sacred Heart's star is on the rise. How many of our other local schools would have expelled students for an incident that did not even occur on campus or at a school-related event?

Have you ever noticed that when an institution is at the top of it's game, people go on the attack?

Sacred Heart is firing on all cylinders - there is a beautiful new campus, college admissions are spectacular, the athletic programs are knocking the socks off their competitors. This school offers the whole package, academics, facilities, athletics and a deep spiritual ethic. Do I detect a bit of envy from some of the posters? GO GATORS!!!!

How many schools expell kids for smoking pot off campus? None that I know of I also seem to remember someone selling pot laced cookies on campus 3 years ago and I know they did not get expelled.

My kids go to the school. They know the kids who were expelled. They said it was not just pot, there was meth involved and that there is a bad drug problem at the school. Too many kids with money and no supervision. They have talked about the drug related behavior at the school prior to this. We are pulling our kids out of the school after December.

I have always been amused by the parents who send their kids to SH and Menlo so as to keep them away from the "bad element" at M-A, apparently ignoring the fact that the drug problem has always been much worse at the private schools. I agree with anonymous above: parents seem to think that if they throw out enough money, someone else will take care of their kids. The temptations are many for kids who have too much money and not enough supervision.

I believe that what happened was that a kid got busted and brought forth with him anyone else he could
No one wants to go down alone without bringing others with them

Okay I am currently a student at Sacred Hear Preparatory. I feel like this thread of comments is ridiculous and want to make some points. In response to "parent, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Nov 4, 2009 at 9:51 pm"'s comment above, there are quite a few things wrong about your comment. There was absolutely no "proof" handed to SHP before the first junior had been expelled. Second, no freshmen had been expelled, it was only two juniors (one of which was wrongly expelled). Lastly, no student has been "put on warning", some students were listed in a last desperate attempt by the junior, who was "running the show".

Everyone needs to back off and stop commenting on all these rumors. This thread is really hurting more then helping so please stop creating rumors. Just think about all the stupid s**t that you "parents", "neighbors", and "concerned citizens" have done and got away with. I hope you understand that the kids, whom were expelled, already feel terrible for what they have done and have access to the internet and have probably seen all of these stupid rumors and harsh comments from this thread. These juniors already feel like they have let down the world, they feel like everything around them has crashed down on them, and now they will be forever known by parents, citizens, neighbors, even students as "ohhh THAT kid". So I'll say it once more because I know that this comment may not stop all of the comments but might stop just some, STOP CREATING RUMORS.

To the concerned parents: The biggest dealer of SHP, who in retro-spec is a small-time dealer compared to any public school, is now gone. Sacred Heart Preparatory is an amazing school and you would be insane to take you kids out because of this. Sacred Heart is one of the finest Catholic private schools in the Bay Area. Any other school right now is probably in worse shape considering that SHP has just gotten rid of a major "druggy" figure and is still intensely continuing their internal investigation.

To the neighbors/ nosey onlookers of this situation: Mind you own business. Unless you have a kid currently attending, a kid planning on attending in the near future, or in some way personally affiliated with the school, STAY OUT OF THIS. Even if you feel like you can help in some way, the best thing you can do is to stay out of this.

P.S. "public school mom", my parents love me and will do anything for me, so don't you ever say that my parents give up this much money for someone else to take care of me! They put in the money so I can have the future I want to have, not to take me out of the "bad-element".

This student has really made a big point here, he really said all that is needed, thanks SHP student

I think that "Sacred Heart Student" should take a minute to read the article above. Perhaps if we see how the article does not present the fact that drugs were being SOLD by a SACRED HEART STUDENT, we would see how much of a cover up this is. Between SHP's inconsistant responces and the difference between various sources of information, we can conclude that the facts in this article may not be correct.

This situation only shows how Sacred hart took 3 years to find out about a drug racket and probably has more drugs/drug sellers in thir school. Perhaps schools like Menlo could be a better choice if a parent is concerned about the well being of their children.

"Sacred Heart Student," maybe you should consider not flaiming others, swearing, and distorting facts in the future.

Please note, I was not trying to imply that the sacred heart student above was the one selling.

Police Chief Nielsen was quoted saying that there was nothing more than marijuana involved in this scandal. looks like SHP has him on the payroll too, sucking the teet of power.

Sacred Heart was known as a drug school 30 years ago. Now I've heard Menlo and Sacred Heart are party schools. Parents need to parent, and know where kids are spending there money. Drugs in high school comes as no shock. It's been happening for years.

I knew that one junior..he was dealing thizz and weed. some freshmen forked out a few grand to him for a pound of weed. The day he got called in to the principal's office from his world civilizations class he was picking up that same Pound for him after school. I guess some kids from SHP were burning in a house, a parent found out, and told the school. So he got f**ked that way. No police or authorities were ever involved. When he got called in, and this is important, the principal already had a list of names..he didnt giv ppl up all like they said he did. He didnt get a record of an expulsion, but asked to leave if he admitted wut he did. Nothing was ever at on or school grounds so technically didnt break school rules. He went to rehab and i dont know after that...

There are many facts that will never be revealed, but one thing is for sure there is a big problem of drug activity at this school. As for the wealthy and influential, it's a fact, one child was even let back into the school after being sent away for 6 months. There are some really mediocre minds out there in the community, how about the kids, and there are many, that have got away with drug use and dealing and the parents who are supposedly responsible for these children. The response of the community and authorities is to allow marijuana to be sold legally, supposedly for medical use, in the heart of the community, a great example for the children, are we proud of ourselves now.

Well, it seems to me that this school SHP is not a goody old institution where you would like your children to go. As from the previous statements, this school has some serious issues and my god would i ever send my children there. For whatever reasons these two students where removed from here,it probably will be a good thing since at least they will not be able to do their immature actions again.

Chances are good that unless you live in a cave and home-school your children, at some point your teens will encounter drugs -- by knowing a friend who uses, by being offered drugs or just by sitting next to some stoner in class.

Public school or private school, there's no way to keep your kids in a bubble their whole lives. If they want drugs, they won't have trouble finding them. As parents, it's your job to keep your kid from wanting drugs.

To "Old," don't you dare call Sacred Heart or Menlo (School, presumably, not Menlo Atherton) party schools! Their SAT average scores are really advanced. (650-ish for each category) If they were party schools, they'd be lower.