Marijuana vote draws calls for resignation of school district spokesman
Thursday, March 20th, 2008 at 3:25 am | By: Radical Russ
UnionLeader.com – New Hampshire news – Marijuana vote draws fire – Thursday, Mar. 20, 2008
MANCHESTER – Mayor Frank Guinta has asked state Rep. David Scannell to resign as spokesman for the Manchester school district after Scannell voted Tuesday to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.Scannell insisted he will not resign, saying his vote is a form of political speech protected by the U.S. Constitution. He also raised the possibility he would take legal action against the mayor or anyone who tries to strip away his job.
In a letter signed yesterday, Guinta said Scannell’s vote on the bill, which passed the House but is unlikely to become law, “permanently and irrevocably harms” Scannell’s ability to serve Manchester’s schools. The mayor argued Scannell’s resignation is necessary to “help restore the integrity” of district anti-drug policies.
“I’m focusing on the school district,” said Guinta, a Republican considering a run for governor. “We have drug policies that the district is responsible for adhering to, and the person who is responsible for public relations is taking a completely counter view. I think that is going to impact (his) credibility with parents and students.”[Scannell] currently sits on the board of directors for Makin’ It Happen, an organization that discourages children from using drugs, tobacco or alcohol.
Because, after all, if we don’t arrest and imprison young people for their use of marijuana, if we don’t ruin their chances of going to college, if we don’t put up obstacles to gainful employment, if we don’t saddle them with a criminal record for smoking a joint, we send the “wrong message”. Marijuana is harmful, kids! If you use it, it’ll ruin your chances of going to college, create obstacles to gainful employment, and could get you a criminal record!
