Boy Suspended for Year and Prosecuted for Bringing A Leaf to SchoolCarey Wedler On September 22nd of last year, students at Bedford Middle School reported to school authorities that a boy had a lighter and a bag with a leaf in it. He was bragging that it was marijuana, which violated the schools zero-tolerance policy. The policy includes imitation or look-alike drugs. When officials found the drug, it led to the boys suspension, but vice principal Brian Wilson and school resource officer M.M. Calohan took it a step further: they contacted the police, who charged him with possession of marijuana. His parents, Bruce and Linda Bays (both school teachers), are outraged. As the familys lawyer, Melvin Williams, said: Essentially they kicked him out of school for something they couldnt prove he didThe field test came back not inconclusive, but negativeYet she went to a magistrate and swore he possessed marijuana at school. The Bays say the official story has changed several times. Their son claims he has no idea how the leaf got in his backpack. Linda, the boys mother, says Wilson initially said he had been in the bathroom with the lighter and leaf. Then Wilson said he was in the classroom. Wilson also said the boy claimed his parents grew marijuana in their backyard and that the boy said a high schooler gave him the leaf and lighter on the bus. His mother, Linda Bays, told the Roanoke Times: I asked, Can I see the leaf? and the deputy said, No, its already in evidence. We have never seen the leaf. Hes been out of school for six months. At a juvenile court hearing in November, the family learned that the prosecution was filing a continuance on the case because they had neglected to have the leaf tested. When the family rejected a continuance through their lawyer at the time, Emily Sitzler, the court revealed that they would drop the charges. The family learned that the leaf had actually been tested three times and repeatedly came back negative. Nevertheless, a new school hearing left the boy suspended from school, able only to attend an alternative education center where he would be patted down daily. He was allowed to study from home, but told that if he fell behind he would have to attend in person. According to theTimes, Linda Bays says the boy has started seeing a psychiatrist at the behest of the school, who wanted him evaluated for substance abuse problems. The psychiatrist found no evidence of such a problem and recommended to the school that the boy be able to return to class. He has started attending a different school as of this week, but remains on strict probation until September. In the meantime, in February, the Bays filed a federal lawsuit against Wilson and Calohan, claiming malicious prosecution and violations of due process. The Bays experience is outrageous, but unfortunately nothing new. Students are punished harshly for benign actions: a boy was punished for sharing food with a friend while one student was suspended for terroristic threats for bringing a Lord of the Rings toy to school and acting out a scene from the movie. The policies that enable such punishments may be intended to promote safety but are misguided and damaging. By punishing students for things they do not understand are wrong (and arent wrong outside of authoritarian public schools), institutions are shaping young people to be terrified of non-conformity, disobedience, and freedom. As Linda Bays said, after the disciplinary hearing, he just broke down and said his life was over. He would never be able to get into college; he would never be able to get a job Now their son is skittish about going out in public, suffers from panic attacks and is depressed. The psychiatrist is treating him for that. Carey Wedler writes for TheAntiMedia.org, where this article first appeared. Tune in to the Anti-Media radio show Monday through Friday @ 11pm Eeastern/8pm Pacific. Help us fix our typos: edits@theantimedia.org. 