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AIBU?

To be shocked to learn that a teaching assistant take drugs at the weekend?

235 replies

LesleyPumpshaft · 02/10/2012 12:17

Like the thread title says. Found out she takes cocaine and E's when she her family have her kids, so does her boyfriend, the rest of the time she is a complete piss-head.

She has also kids and lots of people seem to like her. She has not been sacked, so is obviously doing her job at the school.

None of my business what she gets up to I know, but AIU or naive to be rather shocked by this revelation?

OP posts:

Report

LesleyPumpshaft · 02/10/2012 13:09

Fine on a Monday if she's taken them up to Saturday.

I was a youngster in the 90's and went to raves. I know exactly how comedowns affect people. I'm not stupid.

OP posts:

Blu · 02/10/2012 13:09

Good grief, how far will all this surveillance go?

I do not wnat my child's teachers to be presenting a bad example or making certain behaviours look 'OK' or cool, but I certainly don't want every private minute of other people's lives under public scrutiny. If she is doing her job well, and not making her drug use apparant to children I would leave well alone.

squeakytoy · 02/10/2012 13:10

comedowns dont affect everyone though...

MrsKeithRichards · 02/10/2012 13:10

I'm more surprised people still take !

MrsKeithRichards · 02/10/2012 13:11

E

Birdsgottafly · 02/10/2012 13:11

good grief if you weeded out all the nursery workers and teachers who do this kind of thing at weekends, you would halve the workforce.

I've worked in many roles across Social Care, including hospital/MH wards and i think that the 'public' would be surprised at the level of drug use and addiction problems with the staff at all levels.

While it isn't ideal as long as she isn't still being affected by the drugs or on a 'come down' on a Monday, then it is her choice to risk her job,by engaging in illegal activity.

If she was honest with the head then she would be supported to come off drugs as most workers are.

squeakytoy · 02/10/2012 13:14

mrskeith, it is back to being called MDMA now around here (SW London), and is quite rife again as a cheaper alternative to coke..

Birdsgottafly · 02/10/2012 13:15

comedowns dont affect everyone though...

She is probably functioning fine at work. Whereas if she is doing it every weekend, her personality is probably changing and her personal life suffering.

ClippedPhoenix · 02/10/2012 13:18

She's obviously still doing her job properly so I'd not be bothered. I'm nearly 50 and still like the odd bender

LesleyPumpshaft · 02/10/2012 13:20

OK, so IABU to be rather shocked by this. I was under the impression that most people a, stopped doing this sort of thing once they became parents and b, pretty much stopped doing this sort of thing by their mid to late 30's.

I must have led a sheltered life indeed!

OP posts:

fait · 02/10/2012 13:21

I'm incredibly naive as well - I had no idea that it was considered acceptable that a quarter of the teachers in a school smoked cannabis!

Or a quarter of the working population - or a quarter of anything for that matter!

I don't think it is acceptable for a teacher to take cocaine and Es. How can they reinforce the non drug taking culture in a school when they clearly don't believe in it (for example).

Oh - I have 100s of "naive" reasons for thinking this is totally wrong and that I would not want this person anywhere NEAR my child.

In my mind you are NOT being unreasonable!

Birdsgottafly · 02/10/2012 13:23

Your just out of date.

The amount of people doing drugs over the age of 30, is on the rise.

It isn't unusual for people to start to try drugs in their 40's and 50's.

AnnieLobeseder · 02/10/2012 13:24

Is it just a coincidence that there are two different threads today about someone taking "cocaine and E's", written exactly the same way?

aldiwhore · 02/10/2012 13:26

I think she's stupid to be so overt about it. If it's 'known' then she's not considering her responsibilities within her immediate communtiy and work. She's making a target out of herself and giving people ammo to use against her if the shit hits the fan.

I do not care what people do on their own private time, out of work, so long as it never leaks into work. So FB pics of a person getting hammered on an open profile that's seen by anyone falls into that category, as does recreational drug use.

I'm not shocked though, people have lives outside of their work, she's as much entitled to one as anyone else, she's entitled to take that risk. BUT she should be more careful who knows details, it's just asking for trouble.

I suppose its the same in some ways as me being a smoker and on the PTA. I would never smoke at school, or outside school and I'm pretty careful who I smoke around outside the pub (if I go to one)... it's about the impression you give rather than the evils of what you're doing. (Whether weekend coke snorting is a stupid thing to do or not is a separate argument).

LesleyPumpshaft · 02/10/2012 13:26

OK, np. I went to raves age 18 - 20, but decided that disco biscuits weren't really my cup of tea.

I can understand trying them in your 40's and 50's, especially ifi children have grown up.

OP posts:

Goldenbear · 02/10/2012 13:26

Comedowns don't affect evetybody?? If you're taking a cocktail of E's and coke on a Saturday night you will definitely have a comedown and I doubt very much you will be tIckety-boo by Monday Morning. If you're taking drugs like this regularly then compartmentalisation of your life, I.e TA in the week, drug user at the weekend is difficult to achieve. Therefore, I doubt very much it is not affecting her ability to work as a TA Ffs - there is just something wrong about teachers/TAs taking drugs. Aren't you meant to be Pillars of the community or something? Like police, magistrates those kind of jobs.

LesleyPumpshaft · 02/10/2012 13:28

Is it just a coincidence that there are two different threads today about someone taking "cocaine and E's", written exactly the same way?

I assure you I'm not responsible for the other thread! I'm not the poo troll either.

OP posts:

Birdsgottafly · 02/10/2012 13:30

How can they reinforce the non drug taking culture in a school when they clearly don't believe in it

I know psychiatrists know take drugs.

You would probably be surprised how many nursing staff do a bit of speed to get through a night shift.

You have many roles in your life and a person can easily follow that role during working hours, but live a very different one in their lesuire time.

booomy · 02/10/2012 13:30

You are not being unreasonable OP, posters on AIBU will find any way to make you sound like YABU. She looks after kids and in her spare times breaks the law in a way that could end up endangering your children. How is that okay? My sisters a teacher and they've been advised to not even use facebook at it's a bit unprofessional. Especailly if she's doing it in a small town where everyone will know!

squeakytoy · 02/10/2012 13:31

Aldi, I think the woman thought she was with her friends at a gig minding her own business. The OP is not one of the parents as far as I can tell, just one of her mates.

A TA is not a pillar of the community!! it is just a job..

I would bet there are plenty of teachers and TA's who regularly go into work with a stinking hangover any day of the week. It is no different to being on a comedown. Neither legal alcohol or illegal drugs are going to affect your children at school unless the teacher is handing out the stuff to the kids, which is most unlikely.

FrustratedSycamorePants · 02/10/2012 13:34

I think you're right OP when you say this is none of my business it is none of your business.
So you were offered drugs, and listened to a load of gossip, and now this TA has a drug and alcohol problem, but only when somebody else has her kids?
Seriously?

Chandon · 02/10/2012 13:34

I don't think you can do what you like at weekend,

it is illegal, right? it is breaking the law, right?

I would not want someone in the classroom, who breaks the law at weekends (be it drugs, burgling houses, vandalism, GBH).

Now, if what they do at the weekend is legal, but immoral, it would be none of anyone's business.

It is not as if "nobody gets hurt" either, when it comes to hard drugs. You are supporting a criminal network by purchasing.

Nanny0gg · 02/10/2012 13:36

Just curious.
Ignoring the morality/immorality of drug-taking.

Would anyone be happy if someone working with their children was up to some other illegal activity in their spare time - shoplifting or burglary or something?

LesleyPumpshaft · 02/10/2012 13:37

It's funny how coke is seen as almost being a respectable drug these days. I know a few people from well-to-do families who are like the old Bolivian marching powder. If they were poor and drinking special brew people would be far more disaproving.

OP posts:

Nanny0gg · 02/10/2012 13:37

X-post with Chandon!

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