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Zero Tolerance, Unless...

The Vernonia (Ore.) School District has long had a tough anti-drug policy. Its rule requiring drug testing of student athletes was challenged all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court — and the school district won. But when elementary school principal Aaron Miller, 41, was caught by a sheriff’s deputy smoking pot in a state park, district officials decided to invoke a double standard. “It was an unfortunate mistake and a poor choice to make,” declared Vernonia Schools Superintendent Kenneth Cox. “But I’ve had a meeting with Mr. Miller, and he’s planning on making things better, making things right.” Miller won’t be fired because “he’s one of our best administrators,” Cox explained. “We’d be shooting ourselves in the foot if we said, ‘Well, you made this mistake, and we’re going to find someone else’,” he said. “He has my full support. He has the support from the majority of the school board.” (RC/Portland Oregonian) ...Your vocabulary words this week are “hypocrite,” “role model,” “fired” and, for extra credit, “school board recall election.”