i agree with everything that u are sayin....
Derek is amazing and jus amazing......
people shouldnt say Bull!!!!!cause they dont know him
like we do....
so back off

i COMPLETELY agree with you J.A.W.9099. thank god there's at least 2 of us that are sane.

that was uncalled-for. Don't bash Derek even more than he already has. What if you were in his position? Or his mom's?

McDonoughdawg it sounds like you're advocating legalizing marijuana.

This could explain a lot of your posts.

In my perfect world, kids wouldn't do things like this, but my world isn't perfect.

That said, see my comments below and you can figure out my problems with WEED.

That said, point me to the posts that makes you say that about WEED & my brilliant posting.

Alcohol is LEGAL and yet, still huge demand. Your point is.....

the other doesn't. One has HUGE profit, one doesn't. One has lots of crime associated with it's distribution, one doesn't.

True, nearly every kid in private or in public school is exposed. Drugs are everywhere, but the type of drug habits you find usually differ along socioeconomic lines. In an affluent community like Peachtree City, the drug use is probably pretty high, no pun intended. Kids with disposable income usually spend it unwisely because, well, they're kids. It's up to the parents to monitor spending. I realize there are some people who don't want to have to do that, just as there are some parents who buy their kids cars because they don't want to have to drive them anywhere. Parental laziness spells trouble.

On the one hand I think it's great that people are sticking up for Mrs. Farnsworth. I don't know her, and she's obviously going through a hard time as a parent right now. But the fact is, parents should be aware of what their kids are doing and with whom they are spending their time.

I think that if this boy was a "regular" kid and not a star athlete, the press would be minimal, and that's unfair. Then again, because this boy was a star athlete, he should be held to a higher behavioral standard, in my opinion.

I agree with you inquiringminds. I have no idea who the Farnsworths are, but when I attended McIntosh in the early 90's, it was the same thing. There was always a way to get drugs. I see things have not changed almost 20 years later. It didn't matter how involved parents were, it was still going to go on. It saddens me that people find pleasure making comments about a family that they do not know.

Hey Doug, check out my comment a couple down. I think you might learn something.

He's not just another "dumb as a rock jock." Derek's one of my best friends and I don't think he deserves to have people who DON'T KNOW HIM talk badly about him and his family. Yes, he's made a HUGE mistake. But I think you're being a little hypocritical by pointing fingers and saying that because of this he's a bad kid and he should be severely punished. Haven't YOU made mistakes? I'm sure they weren't anything like Derek's because you don't sound like you know what you're talking about, but you've surely been grounded for staying out too late or getting a bad grade on a test. After getting in trouble, you learned your lesson, didn't you? You were more cautious with what you were getting into after that. That's all Derek needed - a wake-up call. Unfortunately, his wake-up call was being arrested instead of being grounded.

I have another thing to say about all of this bashing that people feel is okay. Derek's mom is always there for him and will do whatever she can to make him happy. Yes, she's a single mom. I don't personally know what it's like to have a single parent, but with Derek having that experience and me being around him alot, I kind-of get the jist. He has to look out for himself, because his mom is having to do everything that normally 2 parents would take care of. When she IS around, which has happened to be every time I've gone over to his house, she's been the most welcoming, pleasant, and friendly mom that I've encountered. Parents can only do so much, and I guarantee you Derek wasn't going to say to his mom "Hey, I'm dealing marijuana. Hope you don't mind." Of course he's going to keep it a secret and make sure she doesn't find out. What kid wouldn't? Cut her some slack. She's raised 2 GREAT sons, and that's exactly what's expected of a mother. Over time, there will be bumps and bruises, but it's Derek's problem, not the public's.

-MC

Mistake (criminal law), or mistake of fact, a defense to criminal charges on the grounds of ignorance of a fact

So let me see if I understand correctly…Derek was not aware that it was/is unlawfull to sell drugs? He was not “aware” of the drug laws? Excuse me, how old is Derek? What rock has Derek been living under?

Why is it that once someone gets caught breaking the law…..it’s a mistake? Mistake my foot. Derek got caught red handed, period, end of discussion. Now he has to pay for the crime..opps…mistake.

Regardless of the number of parents or any other lame excuse we want to make, it not does not excuse him for “his own actions”. Again I ask, how old is Derek?

Stop this crap about mistake. He knew full well what he was doing was against the law…he didn’t mistakenly sell weed thinking it was tea did he? If he belived he was selling tea leaves only to find out it was really weed, that’s a mistake…OK?

You are right..this is Derek's problem...not his mistake!

His best friend huh? Business partner maybe? Why didn't you stop him before he made the "HUGE mistake?" What was your incentive? Free highs?

definitely not his business partner. i agree with you that it was completely stupid of him to be doing this because he has so much at stake. but he's still my friend and i'm going to be there to support him through his toughest times. personally, if i was in his position, which i'm not, i never was, and i never will be, i would be ashamed of myself and not expect anyone to stand by my side..but luckily he has friends that are there for him. i haven't been hanging out with derek much this school year so i probably wouldn't have been able to stop him, even if i had known he was doing this. and no, i wasn't avoiding stopping his dealing for free highs. i simply didn't know he was dealing.

the fact is that unless your truly friends with derek you dont know the whole story and in fact the news and the police dont know as much as much as his close friends do either. they are continuously making derek to be some menice to society. if only poeple knew how much stuff is going on. if it wasnt derek it would be someone else. i feel bad that it is going to take punishment from the law to end this but the fact is it is happened and he will be changed for the better. but please do not pass judgement on people who do not really know him and i dont mean met him once or know who his is. cuz if you want to pass judgement then i will too. alot of you people complaining about what derek did why do you care so much. if you children are so great and perfect and you dont go to this school why does it bother you. no drugs were going through school and nobody knew it was going on so why know is it such a huge deal and everyone is in danger when the time it was going on it wasnt thought twice about? i bet the people talking bad about him are either some loser kids trying to be all cool or some over protective parents that like to get in everyones bussiness. drop it and if you want talk bad about him then you call him personally instead of talking to other people behide his back. so what a true person you... Man up!!!

Realize that there are super teachers and administrators in the public school system, and that there are bad apples in private schools. BUT -- when shortfalls and shortcomings are noted, think they need to be fixed ASAP -- and not, condoned. Candidly, feel that teachers and administrators need to be held to a higher standard, and that they should be role models.

This week has not been a good week for the entire Fayette system. The arrests at MHS; the knife incident at a local Middle School for Pete's sake; the sad rumors at FCHS; and the pathetic situation at WHS causes one to ask a question: WHO IS IN CHARGE AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING??

Our kids are going to be competing in a global economy, and do not feel that they are going to be prepared to win. You are correct that 'things' are happening 'all over the country and even in private schools'. Sadly, one of the things is that their test scores -- as compared to kids in other countries -- are dropping! With the amount of resources that are being poured into education, you and I should be asking the question: What is going on??? If for no other reason, for the future good of our kids!!

Think that we need to be looking at new delivery systems of education/training for our kids. We continue to rely on a model that may have outlived its usefulness, and in all candor, do not believe that we can fill the need of QUALIFIED teachers and administrators. It is not the fault of the good teachers that they cannot be everything to everybody. But, we need solutions -- not excuses that everybody else is doing it!!!!

About time parents are catching on that their kids aren't the little angels because you have spoiled them rich. Then, you don't even teach your kids respect for others. You all sit around at church as a nice christian conservative family and you can't even teach your kids morals. Your kids are fighting, stealing, having sex, drinkin, smokin,vandalizing etc. So, in truth you all aren't conservatives, you are just republicans. You live the liberal lifestyle, but whopee you got some right-wing views. So, maybe if you taught your kids well, these situations would have been avoided. I'm sorry guys, but your bubble has just been burst.

To generalize everyone in Peachtree City as rich, avid church going republicans is probably the most ridiculous thing I have seen on this site. The diversity in people is what makes up our society...Not everyone in this town is like that, and as a matter of fact I am not an avid church goer but seeing as "you do all that crap" it seems as if I have had a stronger set of morals imposed on me than some people...

My goodness!
Your description of kids today "fighting, stealing, having sex, drinkin, smokin,vandalizing etc." sounds like something straight out of the 50s. Or the 70s. That's pretty much the way people have described the younger generation for decades!
Today's youth are no better and no worse. They're just young like we were once.

I am young like them. I am 17 years old. And I don't do all that crap!
And you are wrong it has gotten worse each generation.