Each of the organs had a story. A runner and vegetarian died at 32 because he convinced himself it was OK to smoke marijuana. He died of a heart attack. Steve, the brain, died at age 42 from alcoholism. With a gloved hand, ninth-grader Pamela Cuto touched the cerebellum and recoiled. "It's squishy," she said. Last Wednesday, real human kidneys, lungs, hearts, livers, stomachs and brains were spread along cafeteria tables at Oak Harbor High School. "Organ lady" and registered nurse, Colleen Johnson was giving an interactive presentation, in which students can see and feel the effects of drugs and alcohol. [continues 384 words]
Students fighting for free speech rights on Oak Harbor campuses were recently backed by a powerful advocate which convinced the school district to amend its policy. Attorney Rose Spidell from the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to Superintendent Rick Schulte objecting to Oak Harbor High School's "harsh disciplinary actions" and "censorship" during a campus-wide protest. Last month, six students participated in a sit-in to appeal the school's discipline of their classmate, who was given a one-year expulsion for allegedly selling marijuana at a location off school grounds. When the teens refused to return to the class, or leave the lunchroom, officials had the students arrested by Oak Harbor police for disrupting the school. [continues 519 words]
A group of 20 students held protests signs to passing traffic at the intersection of Whidbey Avenue and Oak Harbor Street, under the bruise-colored clouds of Thursday afternoon. Their signs were scrawled with "Free Speech" and the sign on the building behind them read "Oak Harbor School District Office." "This office is the dead-center of the district. What better way to send a message," student Dustin Gehring said. Students assembled at this intersection for three days, and argued their free speech rights had been violated by Oak Harbor High School staff. [continues 726 words]
In Leandra Reuble's English classroom, a trifold poster board is scrawled with messages and photos warning against the use of crystal meth. One Midway High School student wrote, "Not as glamorous as it looks!" next to a photo of an emaciated man. Although the board was created several years ago, the next generation of students protested its removal. "There isn't a drug problem at Midway," Reuble said. "Most who have experienced it have been through rehab and are past it. But they want to get the message to other kids, who don't think it will touch them." [continues 588 words]
