Dear Me,
I would like to invite you and any other concerned teens, parents,
and citizens to attend the Youth Council meeting this evening at
6:30pm at Peachtree City Hall.

You stated that you don't believe there is a suicide problem here
in PTC. I believe when we loose even one child it is a problem.
These are kids that are in trouble. They are crying out for help and
we as a community need to do whatever we can to make sure this doesn't happen again.

The Youth Council is made up of high school teens from several
Fayette County schools. There is NO requirements to join.
Every high school student is welcome.

We will be discussing several topics including the recent suicides,
drugs, and on-line chat rooms, and what we can do to stop/help
teens in need.

Peachtree City is a wonderful city and we have great kids, but
as a mother of 3, I ask EVERYONHE to come and listen to what
the teens have to say. You might be suprised to hear what is
really going on. When the teens are saying there is a problem,
I believe it's time for the parents, citizens and community leaders
to step up, listen and do whatever we can to help.

I can be reached either by e-mail at robinltennant@aol.com or
at 678-371-3259, if anyone would like more information regarding
the Youth Council.

Robin Tennant

Hi Alisa I thought that I would share something with you about the "wonderful schools" here in Peachtree City. Yes academically they are good. But there is also a downside. Your planning on moving here, so I want to ask you do you have Kids already? Cause if you do those kids are most likely going to have a hard time at these "wonderful schools". And Im not talking about classes. A lot of the kids here are jerks, and Im more so talking about highschool aged kids. If you have a little kid and they go to a local elementary school most likely they will have no problems making friends. In middle school it becomes harder, but eventually they will find their own group of friends. But Highschool here is hell for a new student. If your kid isn't up to a certain standard they wont have much fun at McIntosh.
For example a good friend of mine told me of how when she first moved here for about a semester and a half the only people who would let her eat lunch with her were the mentally challenged students. No one would talk to her or even acknowledge that she was there.
Another friend of mine moved here in 9th grade and ate luch alone and had no friends until 11th grade. I didn't know my friends then. For some reason new students never seem to cross my paths. I always have the same kids in my classes. But if I had known this I would'nt have stood for, but then again Im unlike just about everyone that I go to school with.Someone Im sure is going to say that you go to any highschool and it'd be that way, but that's not true. Those friends have moved around before. They've gone to new schools and had to make friends. But McIntosh is different. Even one of my teachers commented on how McIntosh was so different than any school she has ever taught at.

Drugs and alcohol are a big problem that no one talks about. Kids steal alcohol from their parents all the time. And drugs are even easier to get here especially since most parents freely give money without question. You should hear about the parties that take place on the weekends and such. But once again we don't talk about that.

Im not one of those loner kids that hates everyone. Im active in activities at my school. Im in Chorus, I've tried out for plays, I was even a class officer for 3 years. I just felt that as a student who has lived in Peachtree City her whole life and attends McIntosh everyday that I should let you know about another side to Mcintosh. Be aware that things here are different. Im not sure why, no one really is. But anyone who has moved here from out of town knows it.

I haven't noticed this at all. Sorry to be positive, but it's far from the experiences I've had with my Son.

Yes, but your son is an 8th grader. He is not in highschool and that is who Im talking about. Not saying that middleschoolers don't get in trouble or do things they shouldn't be doing. I mean look at last years 8th grade class at booth. There were some, well lets say interesting things that went on there.
But in Highschool kids are old enough to drive and be out later and thats when problems come around.
I commend you on being active in your son's life, not many parents can say they are. But keep in mind that there are 6 hours or even more during the day when you aren't there with him. Im not saying your kid is bad or anything. Im just saying that you may not know certain situations at school. Parents aren't at school. Parents don't know how their kids act at school. Most kids are usually different at home then they are at school.
I wasn't saying before that all kids are bad and that all kids do drugs and party. I mean I don't and I know of others who don't.
I felt like I should let Alisa know what really goes on. The stuff that parents don't know. For instance did you know that 2 out of every 3 kids at McIntosh are sexually active? I go to school there everyday, Ive gone there for the past four years. I see and hear what goes on every day.
Highschool is a whole new playing field than Middle school. I hope you still keep close with your son when he gets there.

In 81, when I graduated from Morrow, if you had asked us, you would have been told that 2 out of 3 were sexually active. I really think the figure you throw out is high.

All the worries just don't add up, when you factor in the Scores/Honors etc the kids from McIntosh/Starrs Mill consistently put up on the board for all to see.

In all respect that is the total that was given last year from a poll that was run during the debate whether to have condom despensers put in that bathrooms at school.
Just because people make good grades doesn't mean that they don't go out and party on the weekends. In fact that's probably why they go out and drink and use drugs is because of the stress that is put on students at these schools.
My teacher commented on how she can actually physically see the stress on our faces. In her experiences at teaching at other schools she had never seen this before. She brought up this fact of how McIntosh is different than any other school that she had worked at after the recent death of Asleigh.
And also you can't just assume nowadays that drugs and alcohol are used by deadbeats at our schools. In fact it's completely opposite. There are Varsity Athletes that do it, and A+ students, beta club members, and art students. Go to any area of our schools and there will be someone there who uses drugs or alcohol.
This is reality. We can't assume that are kids are doing good just because of their scores.
And by the way cheating is constantley going on. And just like the drugs and alchol it's not just the deadbeats.

I don't blame you for wondering about the community as a whole, as you are considering a move here. I would too if I were in your shoes.
There are no "perfect" towns but this town does have it's good points. The schools are the best in the state. Beyond that there is a lot to consider.
Alot of the teens here say that PTC is in a bubble and it is of sorts. As in a lot of the adults here think they are in "leave it to beaver land" therefore they don't have to monotor what their children do as much as if they lived in a large town. They seem to forget that even though PTC is a small town, it is in one of the largest metro areas in the country.We have all the problems any other city has, that is in a large metro area. When we moved here 6 yrs ago it was because of the schools. I could not believe parents letting their elementry school age children walk several blocks to schools alone or even in small groups of 2 to 3 children. That is part of the "leave it to beaver" mentality here.

Alisa,

While it is always sad when something like this happens, I found immediate concern about moving here just a little bit insensitive.

PTC Citizen

I think poster PTC Citizen was being way too gracious to refer to your post as being a little insensitive. You must be a complete idiot, after a tragedy like this, to post a question about whether or not you should move to Peachtree City. I will answer for all of Peachtree City, you should not.

Amen to that.

Stay wherever you are, Alisa!

I've lived in PTC over a year. This is not a wide spread problem. PTC is a great city and the biggest problem for teens is not getting traffic tickets.

There is nothing wrong with Peachtree City. ALOT of parents here are too overprotective. Stop freaking out....sucides happen everywhere, and yes, it's so unfortunate, but its life. I knew Ashleigh and she was amazing, and think its ridiculos for all of you to be making assumptions about suicide, because both 2 sucides that occured were at my school and were 2 very sad, and very sudden unrational decisions. Ill never forget Ashleigh, it really sucks that she had to leave that way but she was a christian and she is in a better place! She always be remembered, and hopefully no-one will follow in her and sheldons steps.

-linZ