Pubdate: Sat, 28 Feb 2009
Source: Peterborough Examiner, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/4VLGnvUl
Website: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2616
Author: Cheri Verge

STUDENTS WHO SELL DRUGS GIVE UP RIGHTS

It seems our society is so concerned with the rights of  the
individual, we forget that those rights end when  they trample on the
rights of others. A smoker's right  to smoke ends in a public
restaurant where others have  the right to a smoke-free environment. A
student's  right to learn ends when his actions endanger other 
students and the teachers. A student who sells drugs to  teenagers, on
or off school property or time, is a  dangerous element to have
present in a school.

The school is claiming that the incident (the sale of  drugs at a
party) corrupted the morals of the entire  school community. Of course
it did. For the parent to  argue that this is "an abuse of power" is
naive and  self-serving. High school is a highly social  environment.
The kids talk about what they do on the  weekends. Making drug use
more accessible and  acceptable to other students, on or off school 
property, poisons the school climate and should have 
consequences.

The articles state the parent's and her lawyer's  objections to the
power that the school has under the  Safe Schools Act. The school has
simply required the  student to learn away from the school and the
other  kids. The student has not been charged by police or had  any
other punishment imposed on him. However, the  accusations the parent
and her lawyer are making make  it sound as if he has. Why should a
teacher have to  "read him his rights" before interviewing a student 
about his behaviour? The reason the schools have the  power that they
do is because they are dealing with  children, not adults, who need
parenting and  boundaries.

The parent claims the act is "punishing [them] for  being teenagers."
I believe the act is punishing them  for selling drugs to teenagers.
Selling drugs is  illegal for good reasons, and should not be regarded
as  normal, acceptable teenage behaviour. There is a  difference
between "common" and "appropriate." If you  believe you are old enough
to decide to use and sell  drugs, you are old enough to leave school
and learn by  alternative means to get your high school diploma.

Apparently several students were suspended for this  kind of
behaviour. Should the individual showcased in  the article be
expelled, given the extenuating  circumstances and history? I don't
presume to know. But  don't confuse the issue by suggesting that 
extracurricular activities don't impact the school  culture on a wide
scale, or that school officials  acting in the best interest of the
school at large are  breaking the law.

Cheri Verge

Thomas Street
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