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

[LesleyPumpshaft]

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?

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

I think you're fixating a bit on the phrase 'drug of choice'. I thought I'd said things that would get your goat far more than that ...

Here's my original statement, reworded to (hopefully) stay on the point:

'If someone can hold down and perform well in a job then I don't think it's other people's business what they do in their personal lives.'

However, I don't know why calling coke a 'drug of choice' equals being dismissive of it. It's not a value judgement; I was simply saying that some people will choose coke, some will choose alcohol, some marijuana etc.

[Mia4]

YANBU to be surprised when it's someone you know if you don't think they are 'that type', but that shows you can never stereotype. At least she's trying to do the right thing by not doing it around her kids or when responsible for them or any others. I hate drugs tbh but I think you're being a bit naive regarding this whole subject of professionals and drugs. I can tell you as someone who used to work in a hospital there are a fair few folk you'd (OP) not expect to-doctors, med students etc. Not to mention legal professionals and (unsurprisingly) politicians.

What concerns me more is the couple of mums who come to the school near me that are pissed up (luckily not driving) or blatantly on something, the same as it would a doctor, lawyer, nurse or teacher who did those things while directly responsible for someone else.

[N0tinmylife]

Clarice, I am curious, at what point does it become other peoples business what she does in her personal life? Bit of shoplifting to pay for the drugs? If she is arrested for possession? Is it still all fine then?

[Goldenbear]

Lady, surely if you're a liberal thinker your views would be consistent - not one rule for abstract discussions and a different rule for your personal context. I'm sure your children have no desire to snort a line of coke at the dining table but if they did, given your views, why is it different to a glass of Cava?

[sonofzod]

its noones business what she does out of school, as long as her drugtaking doesnt affect her responsibilities at school why does this bother you :/

[Iteotwawki]

I'm impressed by all of you who know doctors that take illegal drugs or medical students that steal them from work. I'm a doctor, my social circle has contained mostly doctors from varying fields and places for the last 20 years. I don't know a single one that has taken an illegal drug since qualifying. (I knew a couple who smoked cannabis as students but they also stopped when they started working).

Where are all these drug addicted doctors? How come everyone knows a doctor who takes drugs and yet I don't know a single one?

Drugs (the interesting ones) are kept locked in double cupboards on a named patient signed for basis. Stealing them borders on the impossible.

I would be horrified if a TA were taking the sorts of drugs described, even if only at weekends.

[THERhubarb]

Iteotwawki - my point exactly. These tales people tell of sordid and rife drug taking amongst professionals are purely anecdotal. It does not prove a thing. Your experience amongst the same profession is very different.

FWIW my brother-in-law works in the cardiac department of a very busy hospital. He's worked in hospitals for roughly 25 years, in A&E and other departments as he's risen in ranks. He's never seen or heard of drug taking either.

Anyone can tell tales. But these are third hand stories that mean nothing.

[AmberLeaf]

Just because you haven't experienced something doesn't mean it doesn't happen you know!

People are more likely to share such info with other people that they know wouldn't disapprove. if you make it clear that you don't they're not likely to be open about it are they.

There have been cases taken to court that have been reported in the press so clearly it does happen. That applies to stealing drugs from work.

There is of course the illegal drugs that a doctor for example can buy just the same as anyone else.

[THERhubarb]

Just because you have experienced it doesn't mean that it is rife.

Iteotwawki and I are not saying that this doesn't happen, just that some posters are making out that it's common and happens all over based on their own experiences. The point I am making is that different people have different experiences and you cannot make a general point based on an experience which is purely anecdotal. That is called generalisation and is not a good way to conduct a debate.

[Iteotwawki]

... what Rhubarb said :)

[HaveALittleFaith]

Equally Amber what you're referring to certainly impacts on working life! People who have access to drugs at work that steal them cannot sustain that long term. I knew a nurse who started stealing pills. Odd ones at first but then got top brazen. She was caught, disiciplined and sacked. IIRC the Sister who was under question at Stepping Hill about the saline interference was actually sacked for stealing drugs in the end - antibiotics and (a?) controlled drug.

Certainly as healthcare professionals we have to be very conscious of our actions. There's lot of comments along the lines of whatever people do in their own time is up to them but if it brings the profession in to disrepute it's a different story. For example, if I was caught drink driving outside of work, I would likely still lose my registration. Part of the issue of probably that unqualified staff like TAs, healthcares in hospital aren't under the same professional guidelines but if they were caught, I still think they'd be severely disiciplined!

Certainly the culture I know of within the NHS is much more about alcohol - yes at times to excess and certainly lots of doctors will drink heavily and turn up to work with hangovers, getting a few looks from other members of staff but IME drug taking is not the norm.

[Goldenbear]

Well if it is as common as posters on this thread are suggesting why do people not notice their colleagues on Comedowns? My DP is an Architect so not in a job with direct care of anybody but there is so much pressure in the office, anyone on a comedown from a drugs binge at the weekend would be noticed. If it became a pattern they'd be asked to explain what is happening as it is undeniably the case that Comedowns which can last a week, would affect someone's ability to do that job with the pace and accuracy that's required. If you are in a job that directly involves working and caring for people/children Comedowns will surely be a huge problem as the consequences of incompetent care are a lot greater. It is not about how much your paid it is that are responsible for looking after people. If you can't accept that responsibility perhaps you should avoid work like that.

[THERhubarb]

Comedowns vary from drug to drug Goldenbear and the week long lows only happen with Class A drugs usually.

You can snort coke or smoke cannabis all through the weekend and no-one would be any the wiser on Monday morning. Esp if that's something you do regularly.

However as Havealittlefaith points out, when you choose your profession you are also choosing a fair amount of responsibility that goes with it.

As a teacher or TA you are directly responsible for childrens welfare in the workplace and as such, it would not be appropriate for you to be actively taking drugs every weekend. After all, part of the staff's role is to educate children about the dangers of drug taking and so if you are taking them yourself, you are making a mockery of the message you are sending out to kids.

There is a real danger of a drug user being caught and the children getting to know, so I believe that it is a parent's responsibility to report a teacher or TA who has been seen taking drugs.

They are public sector workers, providing a public service that is heavily relied upon and if they are not fit for that job then they should move over and let someone else take it on.

[Goldenbear]

I thought MDMA was a class A drug as is cocaine. I meant you can have a comedown for up to a week with them. depending on how much you've taken, whether you mixed your drugs determines the comedown- depressive tendencies, panic attacks, flashbacks if you are a regular user.

Cannabis can vary in strength, if you're smoking skunk to help your comedown like a lot of people do then you're mixing your drugs and this is when the problems arise. I actually do know very well what I'm talking about but this is a public forum and I'm not a fool.

[SamSmalaidh]

Week long comedowns sound very extreme! Most people would feel a bit rough the next day and back to normal come Monday.

[Goldenbear]

Back to normal on Monday?

[THERhubarb]

Yes. My dh took drugs. It's like having a hangover for some, on others you just feel tired and lethargic. So long as you have Sunday to recover you can be back to normal on Monday.

But then dh was never in charge of kids (cows but not kids). He never held a position of trust and responsibility as a teacher or TA would.

[SamSmalaidh]

Yes, back to normal on Monday. Do you really think people would indulge in recreational drugs on a Friday/Saturday night if it meant a week of suffering afterwards?

[Goldenbear]

Well my DP's friends/acquaintances wouldn't have been able to work Monday morning but then again none of them seemed to work atall! We didn't see any professionals within the sordid vacinities they visited to obtain their 'drug of choice'. We did once see a very famous British actor/comedian though- not going to say who obviously. All these people are now 'professionals' or proper jobs, early 30's none of them take drugs.

[SamSmalaidh]

Maybe they over did it a bit then. I have had several day hangovers from drinking in my younger days.

[Goldenbear]

I said up to, which obviously depends on a number of variants that I've already explained. Yes I do think people would do drugs on Friday, Saturday with no thought of the aftermarth, it is called an addiction and it's what can happen when you take class A drugs as opposed to Low strength cannibas!

Another thing about highly addictive drugs is that it becomes a bit tricky to control your need to take them!

[waterlego6064]

To be fair, Therhubarb, the OP has no proof that the TA takes drugs every weekend. That part was a rumour, as far as I could make out. She mentioned one occasion when she had seen the TA taking drugs (really bad idea to do so in front of a parent from the school, IMO)

Personally, I would feel that taking any drug every weekend (including excessive alcohol) is indicative of a problem with dependency/MH, (whether or not it interferes with work being a separate issue) but on an occasional basis, I would consider it none of my business.

[THERhubarb]

Well if you are stupid enough to take drugs in a public place where you wil be seen by parents and possibly ex-pupils then you should not hold down such a position of responsibility and yes, I would report that TA.

It's not a question of their own private business. Parents entrust their children to a school and staff that are supposed to be good examples to their kids. It is a position of trust and responsibility. It is not compatible with a drug taking lifestyle.

[Oblomov]

OP "mentioned one occasion when she had seen the TA taking drugs"
Err, actually this is incorrect.
OP saw NOTHING.
OP: "I was offered a line of coke while out at a gig"
The someone asked OP: "So you're offered one line of coke and you speak to people who know this person (not the actual person themselves)"
to which OP did not respond.
So we don't even KNOW for sure whether it was the actual TA who offered OP the line of coke.
Anyway this is all besides the point, becasue the OP, with her drip-feed gossip, is LONG GONG.

[Oblomov]

GONE