Student in Video Says He Smoked Marijuana

A student filmed smoking in a Norwalk High School class admitted Monday that he was smoking marijuana in the video--not oregano, as he had originally claimed.

Junior Erik Vasquez, 16, said he made up the story about smoking oregano because “I thought I was going to get in major trouble.” He added that he participated in the video, which has been shown in newscasts all over the country, to call attention to a drug problem at the school.

“I want people to know so they’ll do something about it,” Vasquez said. “I wanted the school to do something about it, have more supervision over the kids and what they do. Most kids can do just about anything they want without any of the teachers knowing or saying anything.”

The Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District suspended all five students involved in the video, shot Jan. 17 and aired later the same day. In the 10-minute video, two students can be seen rolling and smoking what appear to be marijuana cigarettes. The teacher is visible in front of the large art classroom handing out and checking assignments.

Two of the students, including Vasquez, were suspended the following Monday for smoking in class. The other three, seniors Edgar Llamas, Henry Bravo and Selvin Engleton, were suspended for creating the video. The state education code prohibits the use of an “electronic listening or recording device.”

An administrative committee decided Monday to limit the student suspensions to five days after an all-day hearing with the youths and their relatives. The students will be allowed to return to school today and make up missed work, district officials said.

Administrators said they could not comment on Vasquez’s public admission that he smoked marijuana. But sources confirmed that Vasquez had told committee members the same thing. The other smoker still insisted that the substance was oregano, the sources said.

District officials said they hope students will come to them first with school problems before calling the media. “The school believes that it is imperative that students have faith and trust” in their teachers, counselors and principals, said Elias Galvan, director of secondary education.

Officials also conceded that Norwalk High has a drug problem but insisted it is no worse than on most other high school campuses in Southern California.

The three students responsible for the video were grateful to have avoided further punishment, but were unrepentant.

Llamas said the point of the video was to show that Norwalk High needs improved security and a better anti-drug program. He also said he is willing to give the administration a chance to solve school problems, but, if necessary, would not hesitate to speak to the media again.

“I don’t think I’m going to have a video on campus anymore,” he said.