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15-Year-Old Student Suspended for Pro-Marijuana Stance
06-15-07|Associated Content|By David Merriman

In Canada, 15-year-old Kieran King's views on marijuana have led to his suspension from Wawota Parkland School.

The controversial suspension, gathering attention as a question of freedom of speech, was reported by the Leader-Post.

The student was allegedly threatened with police action by Principal Susan Wilson before his suspension after making the case that marijuana was less harmful than some legal substances.

"In my opinion, cannabis is safer than they say, it is not worse than alcohol or tobacco," said King.

Although Wilson accused King of using and selling marijuana at school, this is denied by King and his family, and King has offered to submit to a voluntary drug test to prove otherwise. His pro-marijuana stance, instead, he claims, comes from research he did out of curiosity.

"I've never smoked marijuana. I've never even seen it," said King. His mother, Jo Ann Buler, echoes this sentiment: "I know my children don't smoke, drink or take drugs," she said. "As a parent I feel I need to support Kieran but I can see both sides of the issue."

After reading up on the plant and its effects, King shared what he learned with classmates. In response to Wilson's threat, feeling his right to freedom of speech had been violated, Wilson organized a school walkout to begin at 11:05 a.m on Tuesday.

That day, the school was locked down, anticipating the attempted walkout. Teachers reportedly stood guarding the doorways, threatening punishment for leaving the school. King and his brother Lucas were given three-day-suspensions for disobeying the lockdown.

During the event, the boys had some public support. Protestors gathered in the parking lane in the front of the school: three members of the Saskatchewan Marijuana Party, one member of the NDP and one other protester. They used a megaphone to show their support for King and the students, said Ethan Erkiletian, an executive member of the Saskatchewan Marijuana Party.

But the focus of the event, the student clarifies, is not pro-drugs.

"The main purpose wasn't cannabis. It was the defense of the freedom of speech. I believe we have a right to freedom of expression. I don't believe in vulgarity," said King.

The three-day suspension will prevent King from writing his final exams before he goes to China on a correspondence course. An honor student, King will still pass Grade 10 with good marks. However, by missing his final exams his grades will plummet by 30 percent.

Although the student's mother is a teacher herself and understands the school's perspective, she finds this aspect unfair. "He doesn't feel he's promoting drug use by talking about it," said Buler. "I don't think he deserves a permanent black mark on his school record."

 

Buzzby

Principal Wilson is shooting herself in the foot. She has taken an untenable position that will cause her nothing but trouble. I don't know about in Canada, but here in the States she'd have such a law suit on her hands that her head would spin around in circles.

It's bad enough that she brought school sanctions down on his head, but threatening him with police action is way over the top. I'm disappointed that King's mother "understands the school's position". If I was his parent I'd be all over the principal like white on rice!

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troublemaker_42

Agreed---this is a position on a foll would support. Legal action aginst someone seaking their mind ( and the truth, from my viewpoint)? Absurd in every way. I smell the lawsuit from here!

reggie_the_dog

They better tell their son to keep his mouth shut in China where is he going for his studies. In China you CAN expect police action for speaking out against government policy. In Canada you would not expect such treatment.

Buzzby

Did anyone else notice this? Is he planning on being shipped to China via Parcel Post?