STUDENT SUSPENDED AFTER VOICING MARIJUANA OPINION

Kieran King's views on marijuana have led to his suspension from
Wawota Parkland School.

King said he was threatened with police action by Principal Susan
Wilson previously after making the case that marijuana was less
harmful than alcohol.

"In my opinion, cannabis is safer than they say, it is not worse than
alcohol or tobacco," said King, a 15-year-old Grade 10 student.

Wilson accused King of using and selling marijuana at school,
according to a media release issued by the Saskatchewan Marijuana
Party. King has offered to submit to a voluntary drug test to prove
otherwise.

"I've never smoked marijuana. I've never even seen it," said
King.

He said he had done independent research on marijuana use out of
personal curiosity and decided to share the information with his
friends at school.

Feeling his right to freedom of speech had been violated by Wilson, he
organized a walkout to begin at 11:05 a.m on Tuesday.

Instead, he said the school was locked down in anticipation of the
attempted walkout. Teachers reportedly stood in the doorways
threatening punishment for leaving the school.

King and his brother Lucas were given three-day-suspensions for
disobeying the lockdown.

Outside the school, three members of the Saskatchewan Marijuana Party,
one member of the NDP and one protester gathered in the parking lane
in front of the school. They used a megaphone to show their support
for King and the students, said Ethan Erkiletian, an executive member
of the Saskatchewan Marijuana Party.

Only four students walked out of the school, including King and his
brother. The other two students returned to the school to avoid punishment.

"When we asked them why they locked down the school they said we were
from outside the community and had a megaphone and might be
frightening to the parents and students," said Erkiletian.

Two RCMP officers arrived and observed the walkout. No arrests were
made and no charges were pressed.

The group of seven disbanded at 12:30 p.m.

"The main purpose wasn't cannabis. It was the defence 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. He's to
leave Thursday.

The honour student said he will still pass Grade 10 because his marks
are in the 80s and 90s. By missing his final exams he will lose 30 per
cent of his marks.

"I know my children don't smoke, drink or take drugs," said King's
mother, Jo Ann Buler. "As a parent I feel I need to support Kieran but
I can see both sides of the issue."

Buler is a teacher and works in the school division which oversees
Wawota Parkland School. She said she holds no ill will for the school
and believes Kieran and the school have a point of view.

"He doesn't feel he's promoting drug use by talking about it. I don't
think he deserves a permanent black mark on his school record," said
Buler.

Neither Wilson nor the school division returned calls made by the
Leader-Post.