A Matter of Principle

At a time when school administrators across the country are subjecting students to warrantless searches, this story simply boggles the mind.

SOUTH HAVEN (AP) - A west Michigan educator may face drug possession charges after police say he admitted to planting marijuana in a student's locker.

Pat Conroy has been placed on administrative leave as assistant principal at South Haven High School. Earlier this month, he told police he put the drugs in the locker last year because he suspected the student was a drug dealer, and wanted the boy expelled.

Understatement of the week goes to Mr. Conroy, whose plot to ruin this young man's life went awry when the drug dogs he called in failed to find the contraband. That this man was merely put on administrative leave instead of being fired, is inexcusable.

He says what he did was "stupid" and "unethical."

For those of you who want to Share Your Feelings, Principal Dene Hadden is at dhadden@shps.org and Asst. Principal Pat Conroy is at pjconroy@hotmail.com.

[Thanks to Jules Siegel and Elmer Elevator for the links.]