FC: New Jersey student in trouble for writing paper on 'shrooms

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 09:54:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: "J.D. Abolins" <jda-ir () pluto njcc com>
To: Matthew Gaylor <freematt () coil com>, declan () well org
cc: graysonesq () aol com
Subject: FYI: NJ student's psych fungus paper raises free speech issues

The Trenton Times Wed. 20 June 2001
http://www.nj.com/mercer/times/index.ssf?/mercer/times/06-20-CVQR1QHB.html

No fun in psychedelic fungus
06/20/01

By KAREN AYRES
Staff Writer

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP -- Tristan Longino never thought his freshman biology
report on psilocybin mushrooms would cause a ruckus.

The fungus -- typically known as "magic mushrooms" because of its
hallucinogenic effect -- seemed like a good topic three years ago because
of the wide variety of available research material, said Longino, who is
now 18 and has just graduated.

But not everyone agreed.

Longino's teacher at Hopewell Valley Central High School refused to give
Longino any credit for the scientific brochure the youngster created until
he removed all references to human consumption of the illegal drug.

Longino refused.

A state appeals court yesterday upheld a decision by the state Board of
Education in support of the school system
<rest of article omitted>

While part of the teacher's response to the paper involved issues of the
writing quality (e.g.; the teacher did not think humaor was appropiate for
a science paper), another part of the situation involved the view that
school should not recognize any student work to seems to promote use of
illicit drugs.

An interesting excerpt from the article:

The court ruling also dictated that it did not matter whether Longino
intended to advocate drug use because the brochure "might reasonably be
perceived" as advocating or at least not deterring drug use.
<end of excerpt>

"...not deterring drug use?" Hmmm, does this imply a duty for all student
writers to actively put in anti-drug messages just make sure they were
not "draft dodgers" in the war on drugs? <g>

J.D. Abolins
Meyda Online -- Infosec & Privacy Studies
Web: http://www.meydabbs.com 




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