Pubdate: Tue, 11 Aug 2009
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 2009 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/submit.asp
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265
Author: Jim Stingl
Referenced: previous column http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09.n789.a01.html

FOR MANY, TEACHER'S POT IS SMOKING GUN

The smoke is clearing from the stampede of reaction I got after 
Sunday's column about the marijuana-puffing Wauwatosa East High 
School math teacher who lost his job.

Roger Payne got a raw deal, I wrote, because lurid allegations about 
drug dealing, cocaine, parties for underage kids, and child porn were 
widely reported but never charged in court. In the end, Payne got 15 
days in jail and probation for being a pot smoker and filing a false 
police report, but his 25-year career was ruined.

Here's what some readers had to say, starting with the negative reactions:

"In my opinion, this guy got off easy. He has been breaking the law 
for over 20 years and finally got caught," said Todd Thelen.

"'Mildly illegal.' That's a good one," Walter Strahota said, quoting 
my words about pot. "Is that like being sort of pregnant? He's a bad 
role model for kids and got about what he deserved, in my opinion."

"Payne filed a false police report, which resulted in a mess of his 
own creation," Lee Downs said.

"You don't call the cops 'cause someone stole your drugs or your drug 
money. That was so stupid even a stoner like me is embarrassed," said 
a stoner who knows you also don't sign letters to newspapers saying 
you're a stoner.

"Then there's the seminal decision Mr. Payne made to smoke pot with a 
former student in the first place, one that had been expelled from 
Waukesha North, and one who would later be the root cause of his 
problems," said Paul Jonas, who thought my defense of Payne was 
"wildly off the mark."

"Teachers are public figures and are role models, and need to be held 
to higher standards," said Kim Schraufnagel. "It is unfortunate that 
charges were released to the media before being investigated, but 
instead of just talking about that, Mr. Stingl made Mr. Payne out to 
be a hero that was mistreated."

"I am a teacher. I found your article alarming. I think you have 
attempted to lower the standard for what a teacher should be in the 
eyes of society," said Patrick Shields.

"What he did to his brain, his abilities to reason, his judgment and 
his values was not trivial and certainly demonstrates that using 
marijuana is not a pastime without consequences," said Milton Findley.

Several of Payne's former students and others came to his defense.

Portia Turner called him the best math teacher she ever had, adding, 
"I think that it is really sad that Mr. Payne may not find a job 
because of the lies that someone decided to tell. None of Mr. Payne's 
students, myself included, care that he smoked pot. It never affected 
his teaching."

"I graduated from East a few years ago, and I can add my name to the 
long list of students who can attest to Mr. Payne's superiority as a 
teacher. I only took a few classes in high school that I still 
remember as academically rigorous and fascinating, and his was one," 
said Anna Joranger.

"He clearly is paying a disproportionate price. Aside from the 
personal tragedy involved, I wonder how much we as taxpayers invested 
in this process, from police to the courts and others in the system," 
said Dave Denomie.

"In too many instances, things are blown way out of proportion, and 
there's no going back. Once it's in the newspaper, it's gospel," 
Linda Benes said.

"Legalize pot and just like everything else, tax it. Probably just 
took care of the national deficit," said Brad Wyss.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake