WHY KICK A KID OUT OF FOOTBALL FOR SMOKING MARIJUANA?

Ever since the 1997 state law was passed imposing harsher penalties for
juvenile drug offenders, many people, including us, have had second thoughts.

The law requires that students who use drugs must be suspended from sports
and other school activities for a year.

On the surface, the law seemed like a good idea. If kids don't toe the
line, crack down on them. Take away their privileges. Let them experience
the consequences of their act. It's an old-school approach, and it's easy
to agree with it.

At the same time, does it make a lot of sense to kick kids out of an
extracurricular activity because they made a mistake? Is there another way
to punish a kid without placing him outside of school activities and
thereby make it all the more likely that he'll get into even more trouble
because he won't have the sport or other activity taking up his energy and
his time? Is there some middle ground that provides discipline - call it
punishment, that's fine with us - but keeps the kid plugged into an
activity, at least for the first offense?

We think it's worth thinking about. In 1997, we suggested a middle road
would be advisable, and we haven't changed our view.

Now, there's another reason to consider some revisions in the law. The
Hughes County state's attorney says the law isn't being applied evenly.

He contends that a student in one school may be declared ineligible for an
infraction while a student in another school will continue to participate
in school activities. For this reason, the state's attorney in Pierre says
the law should be repealed.

There's still another reason to revise this law, and it is this: Why kick a
kid out of football for smoking marijuana, but let him play if he downs a
six-pack of beer? Both are illegal drugs for a minor. Both are breaking
training. Yet the law says the kid smoking grass is done for a year, while
the kid who gets high on alcohol may continue to participate - although
there could be some lesser penalty imposed by the school.

Rep. Mel Olson, a long-time critic of the law, believes that since alcohol
is a bigger problem than drugs in high school, it's hypocritical to exclude
alcohol from the law. We agree.

But frankly, there are a number of reasons why the law needs to be revised,
and lawmakers should take it upon themselves to get the job done during the
upcoming session.