4/20 ISN'T JUST ABOUT SKIPPING OUT TO SMOKE DOPE

Editor, The News:
Re: Students skip out on special day for dope (April 25).

I note with mystification that the lengthy and seemingly comprehensive
story contains not a single quote or opinion from a single high school
student, not from an absentee, not from an honour student who attended that
day.

Police officers and school principals explain what happened in the high
schools on 4/20, and even go so far as describing students' thoughts,
feelings and motivations, and, where their feelings are deemed "wrong,"
telling them what their proper feelings ought to be.

If some students skipped from fears about the Columbine tragedy, these are
their fears, and they have the right to their own fears. It is thoughtless
and even cruel to punish them for "wrong fearing." Clearly school
authorities were asleep at the switch in failing to address these fears in
advance with supportive programs, information and counseling. But there's
time for punishment now.

I particularly enjoyed Pitt Meadows Principal Wes Thomas' quote: "I believe
in fairness and I believe this is fair. If they decide to skip out then
they earned that suspension."

May I suggest a more accurate speech for this principal who knows why every
student was absent, and knows what's fair for them? "I believe in my
authority, and I have the power to suspend any student I wish for anything
I wish."

Robert Merkin
Northampton, Massachusetts