Local schools ready for legalization
By Jeremy Appel on October 16, 2018.
jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel Medicine Hat’s public and Catholic school boards say they are prepared for Wednesday’s legalization of marijuana. Medicine Hat Public School Division superintendent Mark Davidson says the board’s policy on alcohol and drug use has been adjusted slightly to reflect cannabis legalization. “Largely, those changes don’t have an impact on how schools respond to the use of substances that are broadly not legal for the students in the school,” he said, adding that the vast majority of MHPSD students are younger than 18, so cannabis remains illegal for them. “School principals have always responded to students bringing alcohol to school in a very proactive way.” It’s also illegal for anyone to possess cannabis on school grounds, regardless of age and whether they’re a teacher or student, Davidson added. MHPSD has support systems in place for students dealing with addiction, as does the Catholic board. “The idea is that consequences are intended to be part of a learning process for students,” said Davidson. “While we have absolutes with what we expect in schools, we approach each person with an openness to finding solutions that work for them.” Hugh Lehr, the MHCBE associate superintendent for learning services, says “nothing will really change” tomorrow. In the event a student is caught toking during school hours, the school will have a “progressive discipline plan” based on the student’s individual circumstances, but Lehr emphasized that the “zero tolerance” policy is the same for all students. “The biggest thing is not only to punish the student, but to look for that support,” he said. 12
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