Wawota and Reefer Madness

Latest News: Star Phoenix Article

I am finding the situation in Wawota is hitting a little too close to home for me these days. I work for the Saskatoon Public School division and a tiny part of me identifies with the reefer madness indoctrinated school principal who probably still believes that she was just doing the right thing for her students. Knowing and understanding reefer madness as well as I do, as well as the nature of small communities, it was only a matter of time before a situation like this blew up. I remember how I felt when I discovered that the school system taught kids some pretty hyped up exaggerations and lies, all in the name of keeping kids away from drugs.

When the RCMP came to our school when I was in about grade 6 or 7 with glass suitcases filled with illegal drugs that I had never heard of, it did make me curious to try them. “Marijuana causes hallucinations and temporary insanity? That sounds like fun!“ I remember bragging to my friends that I had used marijuana to increase my street cred, (I was lying). My favorite question to ask authority figures about drugs was “Why do people use drugs if they cause all these bad things?” The explanations that I was given were not convincing. I did not believe that people used drugs because they were addicts. Why did they become addicts? My questions made people uncomfortable, so pretty soon I learned to stop asking. Public school for me was nothing more than a giant indoctrination camp from start to finish. I was an atheist that repeated the Lord's Prayer every single day!

It sounds like Kieran did not learn to properly submit to needless authority. I did not learn the truth about the war on drugs until I was in my adulthood. And I have to tell you that learning that our educational and health care professionals lied about the risks of illegal drugs on a regular basis was very disconcerting. If I had figured this out during my troublesome teen years I can assure you that I would have wished I had the courage to do what Kieran did.

Standing up to your peers in your school is a pretty difficult thing to do and has resulted in some bad feelings in Wawota. This is apparent from the emails in my inbox and the posts on CC from members of the community. It sounds like he will be dragged through the small town rumor mill. I know how much fun that is. When I lived in a certain unnameable small town, I was often referred to as an outspoken, attractive young woman with a generous sexual appetite. These compliments were often bestowed upon me in slightly more vulgar terms but I certainly got the gist of what the frustrated, hormonal teenage boys were saying. They were displeased because I politely declined their requests for sexual servicing. Being a sexually frustrated teenage boy is an unbearably difficult fate. I get that. Some of the things I have been hearing about Kieran behind the scenes are equally as stupid. The accusations are pure guttersnipe and not worth repeating.

According to Kieran’s post on Cannabis Culture, he was doing some informal research about the nature of illegal and legal drug use within Wawota and Carlyle schools. Here is the attachment detailing his research. It seems unbelievable that the school would have over-reacted to this situation to such a degree. To be dragged through the mud and to be accused of being a drug dealer based on asking some direct questions about drug use amazes me. I hope that this situation will be rectified and Kieran won't have a black mark on his school record. At the very least, this situation has gotten members of the community to engage in some debate about this subject.

Let's just say that right now I am feeling very unhappy with the public education system that I am a part of. I agree with the quote at the end of the Star Phoenix article:

An education institution whose objective should be to foster independent thinking and research to mold bright young minds shouldn't be trying to herd kids' behind some line of intellectual conformity.

I am very proud of Kieran for standing up for democracy.