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At the last meeting of our local school board, the
superintendent presented Enclosure D-1-b, File GBCBA,
Policy for a Drug-Free Workplace.
He said they had to
adopt it then, or else all federal money would be cut
off.
What a threat. The Reagan regime cut education aid so deeply that the Bush crew has hardly any financial leverage; the feds provide only 1.6 percent of the district's income.
But for that 1.6 percent, the district is supposed to adopt a policy of immediate suspension for any employee who possesses, uses, or is under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances, if the violation occurs on school grounds, whether school is in session or not, or on the way to a school activity.
That is, a teacher who has wine with dinner, and then
attends a school play that night shall be suspended
immediately.
There's no discretion; the policy doesn't
say may be suspended
or can be suspended after a
hearing.
I thought that this -- abrogation of due process, severe punishment for perfectly legal activities -- might be just a Salida foible, but the superintendent said he cribbed the policy from a nearby district, and that most districts have similar policies.
Another feature of this apparently widespread
foolishness is that an employee shall be suspended
immediately after arrest for possession ... of a
controlled substance.
Last spring, Drug Czar William Bennett came to Denver to ask the legislature to make marijuana possession a felony; as it is, possession of less than an ounce isn't even a misdemeanor -- it's a petty offense.
Our legislators ignored Bennett. Not because they're
soft on drugs, but because they have to face voters who
don't want to pay more taxes for cops, courts and jails. So
Bennett and company adopted this sneaky approach: Your
elected legislature might say it's just a $100 fine, but
here in Washington, the crack and murder center of the
world, we unelected bureaucrats know better -- we'll make
sure you lose your livelihood if a cop writes you up for
one marijuana cigarette.
An employee is suspended upon arrest, not conviction. Convictions involve courts, which have messy requirements like chains of evidence and presumption of innocence, American traditions that interfere with the War on Drugs.
Fortunately, the school board postponed adopting a
policy. But even considering such policies evades the
important issue, which is are the kids learning
anything?
Naturally I'd prefer that my children be taught by wise and wholesome paragons of virtue. But given the real options, I'd take smart junkies over education majors who can pass urine tests but not spelling tests. Further, I'd like my children to respect their teachers, but how can you respect anyone who'd sign away his right to due process for what teachers get paid?
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