The Pittsburgh school district is offering a deal to some students caught with marijuana — a shorter suspension in exchange for drug counseling.
District officials say the goal is to get more students into counseling and reduce the amount of time they're out of the classroom.
Right now, kids found with marijuana in school get an automatic 10-day suspension. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that beginning March 1, first-time offenders in possession of fewer than 5 grams of pot will get the option of serving a suspension of only five days if they agree to attend counseling.
Officials say more than 80 students have been caught with marijuana so far this school year. Marijuana possession results in the second-highest number of suspensions after fighting.
