Posted on 03/17/2011 9:51:12 PM PDT by Huntress
CHESAPEAKE
It was an Italian spice that got Adam Grass suspended from the seventh grade at Hickory Middle School on Thursday, according to his father, Patrick Grass.
It was oregano, contained in a plastic baggie so it resembled marijuana.
The school called it an "imitation controlled substance," which is prohibited under division policy. Even though Adam didn't bring it to school, and was just passing it from one student to another, he was suspended for 10 days and recommended for expulsion, Grass said.
"I know times have changed, and you can't do (just) anything in schools anymore," Grass said.
"But I think there needs to be a certain amount of common sense applied to their policies."
The Grass family went online to look for help and found the Charlottesville-based Rutherford Institute, which provides free legal services to people whose constitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated. The institute sent a letter to the school's principal Friday, calling Grass' suspension "a travesty of justice."
It all started, Grass said, when the older brother of a boy at Hickory Middle said it would be "really funny" if he brought a bag of oregano to school, Grass said. The younger brother did and showed off the herb in the lunchroom.
Adam walked away, but later ran into a boy who asked him to return the oregano to its owner.
Adam took it, then realized the owner wasn't in his next class. He passed it to another student.
"So he was in possession of it for maybe 30 seconds," Grass said.
When school officials found out, they suspended four boys, including Adam, he said.
John Whitehead, founder and president of The Rutherford Institute, called the case an example of when schools overreact with zero-tolerance policies.
The institute has handled hundreds of such cases, which seem to be growing in number and severity nationwide, he said.
Worse, such incidents land on students' permanent records, which can keep them from getting into colleges such as service academies. That's what could happen to Adam, a candidate for the National Junior Honor Society, Whitehead said.
"If you're a good student and you have some oregano, they kick you out of school," he said. "And it means you can't go to the (college) you wanted to, because of oregano."
Chesapeake schools spokesman Tom Cupitt said that's why the division has a lengthy appeals process that runs cases through the deputy superintendent and superintendent before an expulsion recommendation reaches the School Board.
"Anything can happen in an appeal," Cupitt said. He declined to comment on specifics of the case.
Grass said he will meet with school officials today to ask that the suspension be lifted and Adam's record be expunged.
If the school doesn't agree, The Rutherford Institute might file a lawsuit, Whitehead said.
Elisabeth Hulette, (757) 222-5216, elisabeth.hulette@pilotonline.com
trying to rip off his classmates. this used to be a classic
back in the day..
Patrick Grass?
And his kid is smoking Oregano?
lol...
A savvy consumer would know from the smell if it were real or imitation marijuana.
The kids name is Grass.
The kids name is Grass.
Cupitt?
Who are these people?
sorry for the double post and correction:
The kid’s name is Grass.
“It’s a good thing it wasn’t poppy seeds. The boys probably would’ve ended up in jail.”
Or plastic fork or knife, then they would have had to lock down the school and call in the SWAT team! Yet another example of why I don’t send my kid to public school, idiots!
Quickly confiscate all the sugar in the cafeteria before Sammy gets a clever idea.
What was the kids name?
For me, it’s another reason I’m glad I’m not a kid. Kids’ (and to a lesser extent, adults’) lives are way too controlled these days.
Can you say THOUGHTCRIME?
Sure you can.
I don’t know who’s stupider, the complainant or the enforcer.
One more small step on the step to totalitarianism, brought to you by your friendly neighbourhood drug warrior.
G_d save us from our own stupidity...
It’s the kids, always the kids (and maybe Keith Richards), who expose the idiocy of us adults!
I remember the same thing happening to a boy in my 8th grade class 30 years ago. Is it any wonder the schools cant teach the kids today with their response. Back then, “Son, I know it seemed like a fun idea to you. Take this as a lesson. Now off to detention for a week where you will sit quiet and bored for one hour” is what was the response then.
You just can't make these things up.
I remember when I was young the big thing to do was mix powdered kooaid with some sugar and put it in a plastic baggy and pretend you had drugs.
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