Ashland High School
201 South Mountain Avenue Ashland, OR 97520
May 5, 2010
Vol. IV Issue XII
Ashland, Oregon
Green cards: stirring up the pot Students gain access to legalized marijuana for medicinal reasons.
by Lucas Opgenorth
During an interview in early 2009, rapper Lil Wayne told CBS’ Katie Couric that the only marijuana he uses is of the medicinal variety for the purpose of alleviating pain from his chronic migraines. While this comment was met with noticeable skepticism from Mrs. Couric, in fourteen American states, Oregon included, thousands of patients are joining Weezy in medicating themselves with legal cannabis. Among them are several students at Ashland High School. One of these students who suffers from chronic pain, and who is to remain anonymous in this article, spoke with the Rogue News about his experience attaining a prescription, or ‘green card’ as it is colloquially known. As a patient, he can request any medication for which he has qualifying conditions, be it Vicodin or weed. After his doctor all but refused to write him a prescription for cannabis based on a personal ideological opposition, he sought out another clinician who is known for sympathies toward medicinal
marijuana users. After he paid $175 for the prescription, filled out the paperwork necessary to register with the State of Oregon for an additional $25 and
“We have been given very few guidelines on how to handle this because it’s such a new issue” Glenna Stiles
found a state licensed grower to provide him with medicine, he was fully cleared. Although he says that the process was relatively easy, that doesn’t mean that anyone can walk into a clinic and expect to leave with the legal limit of one-and-a-half pounds of ganja. “You’re not going to get it if you’re fine. You need to actually have qualifying conditions,” he emphasized. With at least two other students at AHS in possession of marijuana prescriptions, the high school’s administration is faced with a new loophole regarding its drug and alcohol policy. “When medicinal marijuana first started a few years ago, I knew of one student with a card. Last year
I knew of none and this year we have several,” said Dean of Students Glenna Stiles said about the recent proliferation of prescriptions. To make matters more confusing, the school receives no notification from state authorities about which students have the prescriptions. “I either hear about it from word of mouth, or the student comes in and show me. We have been given very few guidelines on how to handle this because it’s such a new issue,” Stiles said. But when the administration does get word of a marijuana prescription, Stiles is sure to firmly communicate the rules regarding the student’s behavior at school. Unlike other prescriptions, such as Vicodin, cannabis is not kept in a container with a label indicating the name of the prescription holder, the amount, the date issued, etc… Because of this, the school maintains an outright ban on marijuana. However, prescription holders do maintain the right to be as medicated as necessary while on campus. Although the thought of students being able to be legally intoxicated at school may be disconcerting to some, when asked if any significant problems have resulted from green cards, Stiles simply said “No,”
Schlecht’s response Be this as it may, Principal Jeff Schlecht has expressed concern regarding medicinal marijuana and his responsibility to ensure a positive educational experience for all students “The public school classroom is an American icon… For optimal teaching and learning to take place, the teacher should be highly trained and the students ready to learn. A student under the influence of marijuana cannot fully benefit from classroom instruction; allowing this circumstance undermines my role as guardian of the classroom,” he said of the patients’ right to be high at all times, “The medical field is wrong to prescribe marijuana to high school students… It is a bad idea to provide a teenager with marijuana and think that he will be a safe driver behind the wheel or engage in safe behavior at the workplace. My hope is
that the medical field and practicing educators can work together to successfully problem-solve the legitimate medical and educational needs of our teenagers.” Thus far, the small group of students has been responsible with their prescriptions, not something many would expect from marijuana users. “Sure, there are people who don’t use it for the right purpose and are just trying to work the system, but that’s the way everything is these days,” our cardholder said. Above all, Ashland High’s administration wants to ensure that students don’t begin abusing their access to the mostly illegal substance. “I’ve seen what happens to people when they smoke too much,” said Stiles “and I don’t want to see that happening to my students.”
Confucius says- AHS gets a classroom A Mandarin language course and Chinese studies will be offered next year at AHS.
by Elle Swarttouw Ashland High School will offer Mandarin language classes and Chinese studies for the 2010-2011 school year. Chinese representatives Huang Guanhua, Lu Qiaomei and Cui Yi gave a series of PowerPoint’s presentations summarizing the Confucius Classroom to Ashland High School freshmen on April 19 and 20. St. Mary’s School implemented the Confucius Classroom program in 2006, the second Confucius Classroom of its kind in the United States. The Confucius Classroom is a partnership with local high schools and Hanban, a department of the Chinese Ministry of Education that promotes Chinese language and culture, and has a Chinese teacher teaching the classes. AHS and Crater High School are the beneficiaries of St. Mary’s pioneering spirit. “If you look at the business world, learning Chinese is very beneficial. These kids have an awesome opportu-
A small portion of the texts donated by Hanban at St. Mary’s School nity,” SMS Vice Principal Jim Meyers said. Hanban graced southern Oregon four years ago, and has made our region unique to the rest of the country by providing the opportunity for middle school to high school age students to take Chinese 1-5, AP Chinese, and Chinese History and Culture. Hanban is an educational branch of the Chinese Government and an “international organization committed to developing Chinese language and culture…” as well as providing teaching resources and making its services available worldwide, according to their mission statement. Both China and the United States have benefited from this program. Hanban has tipped the scale of China’s positive relations with the US, while providing American students with, as Meyers said, “a cultural opportunity.” In addition to learning in the classroom,
devoted students will have the chance to take a trip to China and be “treated like VIPs” Meyers said. The trip is expense free with exception to the plane ticket. Yet the accoutrements don’t end there. In years past, Hanban has sent over a Kung Fu troupe on their international tour, as well as a music troop to SMS. Let’s also not forget that Hanban donated over five thousand resources to SMS, aiding students in their Chinese studies, from textbooks to talking posters. AHS will be receiving the same royal treatment. “What a thrill! In the time of such budget loss, it’s amazing. We’ll receive one or more full time teachers… this is a great way for students to learn about Chinese culture, their long history, and government,” principal Jeff Schlect said. Hanban offers a three-year package, then returns to boost momentum and evaluate the school before signing another three-year contract.