Candidate for Drug Czar Endorses 'Zero Tolerance' at Service Academy
by Chad Groening
(AgapePress) – One of the nation's leading drug authorities says it is absolutely appalling that more than a dozen cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy are being investigated for drug abuse.
Robert Maginnis has a unique perspective on the Academy's drug problem. He is a former Army officer and graduate of West Point. In addition, he has made the final list to become the nation's “drug czar.” Maginnis says the Air Force Academy must maintain a zero-tolerance for drug abuse.
“It's appalling that this did happen and that more than one [cadet] was involved, but I've seen similar incidents — not to the same degree — over at the Naval Academy and also at West Point,” Maginnis says. “I do believe that there has been a change in culture [at] these institutions which we pay a great deal of taxpayer money for. That is appalling, unacceptable, and I think zero-tolerance is the only way to approach these future officers and leaders of the armed forces, and [the institutions] have to randomly test [for drugs].”
Maginnis says the Air Force Academy has not maintained as high discipline standards as West Point or Annapolis. That is another reason he thinks the Air Force Academy has had more drug problems than the other two schools.
“It [the Air Force Academy] has always been far more lax than the other service academies,” he says. “Keep in mind that in the late 50s, the Air Force Academy spun off from West Point and started up — but as far as discipline, it was never known for [having] a very highly disciplined environment. That doesn't mean that fine people don't go there and graduate and serve our country faithfully, but I think that the culture there has been just too permissive over the years.”
Maginnis, currently with the Family Research Council, is one of five finalists being considered for the position of Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
by Allie Martin
(AgapePress) – A California school district will ask the State Supreme Court to allow the district to continue a ban on Bible clubs, although a lower court recently ruled such practices unconstitutional.
The Saddleback Unified School District was ordered earlier this year by the Fourth District Appeals Court to lift a ban on Bible clubs. But as Brad Dacus of the Pacific Justice Institute says, the district seems prepared to continue its fight to keep Christian students from meeting on school grounds.
“They are very desperate in trying to keep all Bible clubs and maintain an element and level of control,“ Dacus says. “That level of control is obviously unconstitutional and an unlawful discrimination against religious kids wishing to meet together for religious purposes.”
Dacus believes a lengthy legal battle may be ahead.
“The school district has decided to go ahead and appeal this decision to the State Supreme Court of California,” he explains. “We were surprised by that move. We thought that it was pretty clear that this 3-0 unanimous decision was going to be fairly straightforward; nonetheless, we’re going to be meeting the challenge before the State Supreme Court, and we’re very optimistic about the outcome.”
Dacus expects the State Supreme Court to rule on the matter by early summer.
(This update courtesy of Agape Press.)
