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233 Comments
- crazyg1970, on 10/11/2007, -14/+295This boys statement is true. The history of marijuana being deemed illegal is very interesting to say the least. Drunk Driving figures say it all....
- AnteChronos, on 10/11/2007, -45/+274Sorry for the comment abuse, but the headline is very misleading. Yes, I know it's the original headline, but it gives the impression that the student was suspended FOR voicing his opinion, which was not the case. Here's the order of events:
Student makes comment about the harmlessness of marijuana.
School principal makes hollow threats about involving the police.
Student arrange mass walk-out in protest.
Officials get wind of the plan, and lock down the school, threatening to suspend anyone who walks out.
Student walks out anyway, and gets suspended.
Did the principal overreact? Most definitely. Did the student get suspended for voicing his opinion? Most definitely not. - gamebittk, on 10/11/2007, -8/+202Before any diggtards begin criticizing the US government... This is Canada.
- defubar, on 10/11/2007, -14/+168Wawota Parkland School
Box 270, Wawota, SK
S0G 5A0
Phone: (306) 739-2323
Fax: (306) 739-2482
Principal - susan.wilson@cornerstonesd.ca
Vice Principal - jos.risling@cornerstonesd.ca
Let the principal know how you feel. - HexeL, on 10/11/2007, -33/+157@antechronos
Your logic is flawed. He was voicing his opinion in the form of a walkout. And I personally don't subscribe to the notion that democracy ends in school. - RioGangsta, on 10/11/2007, -11/+94unfortunately, in this country, sometimes the truth can hurt you
- Phrag, on 10/11/2007, -10/+78This is really pathetic. Aren't schools supposed to be about questioning and learning? If you punish a kid for having a different point of view from the mainstream (although in this case his point of view may actually be that of the silent majority), then how are they supposed to learn anything? If no one ever questioned what is accepted as fact by most people, we would still be living on a flat Earth that was at the center of the universe.
Regardless of the schools stance on marijuana use, you can't punish students for just talking within the context and rules of the classroom. - smackhero, on 10/11/2007, -8/+70the history of most drug prohibition laws are. look into the harrison act for more details.
i'm sure glad my home town is relatively progressive compared to the rest of the nation. senior year of high school i was the president of one of our school's debate clubs (JSA) and since i knew about 90% of the population at our school, including teachers (especially the AP & honors teachers), had smoked pot at some point, i decided to make the debate topic of the first meeting on marijuana decriminalization to attract new members. i put up a bunch of flyers around campus to announce the meeting and no one seemed to really care. my AP U.S. history teacher even joked with me as i was walking to the meeting, asking me to toke it up for him. haha, good 'ol mr. levi... - NikoKun, on 10/11/2007, -9/+44It's sad when a kid can't question the teachers... and when the kid is actually right, it makes this situation so much worse... destructive to not only that kid, but to everyone involved... How does teaching kids lies, and suspending kids that don't agree helping anyone? That's not education... thats just control.
This generation is smarter than they think... and will fight back sooner or later...
The student was correct, Marijuana is safer than alcohol and tobacco, and it really is incredibly wrong that it is illegal in this day and age...
I'm so pissed at the school officials for being so protective of their false facts, so much so that they want to permanently label this kid with a bad record... -_-
It's time to put these old lies and propaganda aside... The generation brainwashed by propaganda and the moral correct 'leaders' of this country, need to step down and let reason, truth, real science, facts, and true freedom take over again...
I'd like to congratulate that student for actually questioning the school system on this issue... He did more than I could do when I was that age... I never questioned what they taught me, and I was for the most part, just another brain washed propaganda zombie. Don't stop what your doin kid! Fight for your freedom and for a truthful education. Never stop questioning them, because all things can be questioned, and thats one of the best ways to learn. Don't give in to their threats, keep fighting for truth and freedom. - pailsOfGrease, on 10/11/2007, -4/+38WARNING: Truancy may lead to suspension!
Failure to attend Compulsory Education is punishable by mandatory leave!
/Arbeit macht frei - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -7/+39Is it a requirement to be a hysterical idiot to be a part of school administration?
With such brilliant leadership, one wonders why there aren't more shootings. - g30ff, on 10/11/2007, -3/+34You raise some interesting points. Unfortunately, Saskatchewan is in Canada.
Edit:
Here I mean to say that it is unfortunate for Canada that that this story takes place in Saskatchewan, *not* that it is unfortunate Saskatchewan is in Canada. - AnteChronos, on 10/11/2007, -14/+44@HexeL (#7179936)
"Your logic is flawed. He was voicing his opinion in the form of a walkout. And I personally don't subscribe to the notion that democracy ends in school. "
While I appreciate the nuance that a protest is still protected speech, there are also truancy laws to consider. Basically, it's against the law for students to purposefully skip school. By walking out, the student was, in essence, performing an illegal act, which the school probably feels obligated to punish.
Further, schools are allowed to punish students for less serious misconduct, and there is a very fine line between misconduct and free speech. For example, if a student insults a teacher and calls him/her names, is the protected? Can the student be punished for it? What if the student is constantly interrupting class?
Just a few things to consider.
Edit: And I just noticed that this is in Canada, so I'm not sure about the applicability of truancy laws or protected speech. I certainly don't have time to research that during the edit window for my post. - rheaume, on 10/11/2007, -27/+51gamebittk
Youre totally right, in your country he would be in Gitmo by now - KlayBorg, on 10/11/2007, -2/+15LOL!
I just did a persuasive speech for my English assignment on marijuana legalisation, saying this and many many more arguments, and my teacher congratulated me and gave me an A. (this is in last year of school too! = counts to getting into uni)
BTW, I am in aus - HexeL, on 10/11/2007, -4/+16@antechronos
"Further, schools are allowed to punish students for less serious misconduct, and there is a very fine line between misconduct and free speech. For example, if a student insults a teacher and calls him/her names, is the protected? Can the student be punished for it? What if the student is constantly interrupting class? Just a few things to consider."
I've considered it. And I agree in most respects.
Teachers should have a certain amount of leeway to deal with misbehavior; especially since there are actual real world laws that cover some of what you described. It's certainly better that a teacher be allowed to punish a student with detention than for her/him to have to call the cops.
But that being said, there are teachers that abuse that system, and they need to be checked. That principal comes to mind. - r81984, on 10/11/2007, -18/+29"King and his brother Lucas were given three-day-suspensions for disobeying the lockdown."
Not for talking about drugs!!! - beardsauce, on 10/11/2007, -3/+14Anyone catch where the school claims they locked down because the five protesters "had a megaphone and might be frightening to the parents and students"?
I'm pretty sure Tom Green is from Canada, and I've seen him use a megaphone before, so what's all the fuss about? It's not like they had their dicks hanging out, running around with assault rifles firing into the air. - ShorXrorE, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13yo that principal needs to relax. and you allllllll know what i'm talkin about.
- secretwhistle, on 10/11/2007, -6/+16As is the case with most arenas where there is a clear line between the "authorities" and the "subjects" (schools, government, law enforcement), everyone is "free" to share one opinion.
Related:
How can you tell the difference between a drunk and a stoner?
The drunk will blow right thru the stop sign.
The stoner will sit and wait for it to turn green. - ploop, on 10/11/2007, -5/+15It's unfortunate for Canada that Saskatchewan is in Canada. 8;-)
- zeddie2001, on 10/11/2007, -6/+16He wasn't suspended FOR stating his opinion, he was suspended for WALKING OUT of school, after being warned explicitly that walking out would result in suspension.
However, I agree that the school overreacted if they accused him of selling/taking drugs simply due to the fact that he stated a fact - Jawsh91, on 10/11/2007, -3/+12@r81984
Mind pointing out the quote where he refused to take a drug test?
I have time... - logic, on 10/11/2007, -2/+11It makes me sad to think that art is considered "extra".
- MrsButtersworth, on 10/11/2007, -7/+16Logic is ***** dying. I just received some evangelical ***** pamphlet today that said, and I quote "It's sad but true - no matter what you do, you will die. This is because you have sinned against God."
If im dumb enough to bring a child into this decaying society, he/she will be a home schooled athiest. Both public and private schools are in no way a healthy environment for an open, logical, rational mind. - lavoie0ca, on 10/11/2007, -3/+11P.S. WTF is a lockdown? in SK? wtf?
What is the population of this town? Its school has lockdowns? for 4 protesters? What a bunch of hosers. - g30ff, on 10/11/2007, -4/+11They aren't going after him for the statement, they are going after him for the walkout to protest the principal's knee-jerk accusation that he was a drug user/dealer. They can't go after the speech itself so they find something else to nail you on--if there wasn't a walkout they'd just keep looking until they found an excuse (and lie if they had to).
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach; those who can't teach become administrators. Maybe I just had crappy luck during my school years but I've yet to meet a principal/vice-principal who wasn't more preocupied with making sure that no one rocks the boat than seeing to it that the kids they are responsible for get a good education. - ninjasquirrel, on 10/11/2007, -4/+11Not all schools in Saskatchewan are like this... I grew up just a few minutes away from where this happened... our principle would have taken the time to talk issues like this over with us, to see why we thought this way and where we were getting our information from. While I'm not supporter of marijuana, it still sickens me to see so many authority figures who refuse to talk through problems and find out the actual cause, but would rather just make the problem disappear.
- ploop, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCLA
- zouhair, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7I don't use drugs, drugs are dangerous, and when I say drugs I include acohol and tobacco.
Criminalizing drug users is just plain stupid, adults should be allowed to do wathever they want with their life, should we put someone who survived a suicide attempt in prison? it's obviously stupid. And the same goes with drugs. As long as drug users do not hurt others, I don't see any problem.
The second thing wrong with repression is that it's only make criminal organizations to thrive and become more powerfull, take a look http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2000/drugs_trade/default.stm
Making drug use legal will be winning the so called war on drugs.
And last but not least, EDUCATION is the MAJOR KEY. - Toupee, on 10/11/2007, -5/+11Man, I took every opportunity to write essays on weed in high school. I must have wrote at least a half dozen papers - and every one got great marks. Sucks to be that kid.
- Ameth, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7I love how people think that you still have freedom of speech in school. Thats pretty funny. There's more that you CANT say in school than there is that you CAN say in school. I've had several teachers tell me that school isnt part of America, that it was a dictatorship. The only freedom you have in school is the freedom to choose what size lead you want to use (I prefer 0.5).
- ztraut, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9Just sent an email to the Principle and Vice Principle. Instead of arguing on a silly website, send your support/criticism to the ones who can actually DO something.
from defubar
Wawota Parkland School
Box 270, Wawota, SK
S0G 5A0
Phone: (306) 739-2323
Fax: (306) 739-2482
Principal - susan.wilson@cornerstonesd.ca
Vice Principal - jos.risling@cornerstonesd.ca
Let the principal know how you feel. - g30ff, on 10/11/2007, -4/+10Suspending someone for an absence (even if it was because of a walkout) is a blatant overreaction. If they did that everyime someone wan't in their seat during school hours then half the seats would be empty. If I were one of this kid's parents I'd tell the principal (1) to ***** off, and (2) that she should either be prepered to show proof the next time she makes an accusation directed at the kid or be prepared to get dealt with like any other bully. Abusing a position of authority by making baseless accusations isn't cool, and as far as I'm concerned the kid shouldn't have even needed to volounteer for a drug test.
- nitkin, on 10/11/2007, -2/+8If the National Post accurately reported the story and if King's version of events can be corroborated, then I suggest the King family file a defamation lawsuit against Wilson and Wawota Parkland.
- thewebguy, on 10/11/2007, -3/+8shut the hell up you idiots, he was suspended because he left class after being told not to.
case closed. - thanakar, on 10/11/2007, -4/+9Very misleading headline, he was suspended for walking out of school, not for voicing his opinion.
- lavoie0ca, on 10/11/2007, -4/+9dugg for tom green reference.
- PeppermintPig, on 10/11/2007, -4/+9Why should anybody tolerate false accusations like that? They wanted to paint him like a criminal, and then pick on him for walking out. Nothing better to do I guess.
- thefirelane, on 10/11/2007, -5/+9@ r81984
Sense of humor and reading comprehension are tough things, aren't they? - jjesusfreak01, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6What makes me mad is not that they were suspended the kids, but that the kids mother said that "she understood the schools side" in regards to his speech, not his suspension.
- fixedcoma, on 10/11/2007, -4/+8I would sue the principle for slander and discrimination. If he doesnt sell it or smoke it and the principle is going around the school telling the world he does it could hurt his reputation in society. If someone did that to me i would want to crack their skulls! people like to start a war off of false pretenses for some reason . I think the priciple should be suspended and sued as matter of fact. I like how people try to make us feel bad whenever we try to stand up for ourselves like they're our father or mother. WTF. We have rights too! We have feelings too! Wake the ***** up, U know?
- smokestack, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7"The three-day suspension will prevent King from writing his final exams before he goes to China on a correspondence course. He's to leave Thursday."
yeah, good luck with all the free speech stuff there buddy.. heh... go ahead, organize another student protest while your there..
out of the frying pan, into the fire anyone? - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6I went to a highschool in Canada... during our debate sessions we had many dicussions over marijuana... no one ever got suspended, infact most of the teachers agreed with the student majority.
No one has anything better to do in SK anyways... - Prefection, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6I was told the same set of lies in school, and they were protected with the same zeolotry as they are today. I expressed doubt that one joint was equal to 50 cigarettes, and was rewarded for my opinion with a harshly stated rebuttal that my thoughts were irrelvant to the topic at hand.
Bravo for this kid! Challenge the lies, even if it does inject a little disorder into the priciples legit job of maintaining control. - wakananda, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4RE violation of the "lock-down" as an excuse to destroy the academic career of a student who stood up to abuse of power:
1. The lock-down of the school occured on the pretext of protests occuring outside the school, for "safety" - when it's clear that the school was simply trying to prevent a walk-out from happening.
2. The protest, that the lock-down was intended to prevent, was itself a question of free expression. And it occured in response to false accusations of criminal activity, and the threat of arrest used by a school official to silence free speech.
3. A "lock-down," in and of itself, is offensive to the rights and dignity of students, being as it is more proper to a prison than a school - unless there is a clear and present danger to life and/or limb. The principle knew this, and that is why she lied about the reason for the lockdown.
You have to be a far-gone authoritarian to support this kind of disingenuous behavior and egregious abuse of power. - dacheetah, on 10/11/2007, -8/+12Questioning? Learning? Since when did these things happen at Sheep Training (read: School)?
I agree that that's what SHOULD happen, but most schools don't even try to encourage learning, or questioning, or free-thought. From what I've seen, it's pack your head with "facts" then spit you out. If some of these facts are over-simplified, or just plain wrong, so be it, it's still easier that having students can can think on thier own... - smackhero, on 10/11/2007, -5/+9why did you think he organized the walkout though? the school used coercion to suppress the opinions he voiced, plain and simple.
- ISIfunded911, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6I agree. To go further, everyone can listen to John Taylor Gatto (two times best teacher of NYC): his inspiring speeches are on emule. He is the most fascinating critic of school that I ever heard. One of the most impressively intelligent men in the US today.
- Novagenesis, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5do the research... Pot's illegality stems from the government's desire to curb illegal immigration from mexico. The hispanics were a high percentage of potsmokers. Among MANY other reasons, mostly illegitimate, the government felt illegalizing pot would help with illegal aliens.
Then there's the complaints of the paper industry (who at the time also owned the written press) of a weed being a cheaper, better, more renewable paper than they created...etcetc -
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