An ongoing drug investigation at James Fenimore Cooper Middle School led to the arrest of two 13- year old boys. The two boys were charged with possession of marijuana on May 2 according to Fairfax county police.  They were only a part of a larger investigation which involved interviews of about 25 Cooper students.

According to the police, the charges are misdemeanors and remain on a minor’s record five years after they turn 18.  An anonymous source confirmed, one of the boys charged with possession allegedly confessed to distributing marijuana on school grounds.

The drug bust came as a shock to members of the community, with parents and older siblings concerned. Langley sophomore Jamie Hahne, whose younger brother Zack Hahne is a 7th grader at Cooper says, “Hearing about how big of an issue drugs have become at Cooper really worries me. I know my brother is smart and knows how to do the right thing but I hate the thought of him being surrounded by these things at such a young age.”

Ms. Arlene Randall, Cooper’s principal spoke about the issue in a recent PTO newsletter. “It is our goal to maintain vigilance against these types of violations. We will continue to operate under the tradition of excellence at Cooper which is based on a secure and safe school environment for all children,” she said.

Randall mentioned several steps that the school is taking to minimize future problems. “The guidance department and the school based administration will be speaking to students about the policies and procedures that govern these choices and the ramifications of those actions. In addition, we are working with our Drug and Alcohol resource personnel to disseminate further information to our student body about the dangers of these substances and how to seek assistance,” she said.

Jamie Hahne worries about the possible influences the recent spike in drug use at cooper will have on her brother. “Zack’s my baby brother and I know he’s going to come in contact with drugs in his life but I wish it didn’t have to be so early when he’s at an age where peer pressure can have such a significant impact on him,” she said.