Assemblyman Gives Students a Civics Lesson

Although it’s a politically volatile topic, Assemblyman Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria) mapped out for a group of high school students Wednesday how they might get the state to study the legalization of marijuana.

But the assemblyman emphasized after the talk at Buena High that he would oppose such a study.

“I would be against it,” O’Connell said. “It was a good example to use. It obviously had the students’ attention.”

O’Connell’s talk with Buena seniors was part of his round of visits to a dozen high schools around his Assembly district in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

O’Connell, a former teacher at Oxnard High School, said he visits high schools every year to keep in touch with younger constituents and to help educate them about their civic responsibilities.

Legalizing drugs was discussed Wednesday after O’Connell asked students to suggest a bill they would like to introduce to the state Legislature.

Lewie Ward, a tall 18-year-old sitting near the back of the auditorium, called out that the state should study the legalization of marijuana.

O’Connell described what committees would have to vote on such a bill before it came before the full Assembly and state Senate.

Even if the bill were approved, O’Connell warned the students, Gov. Pete Wilson would surely veto any measure proposing to legalize drugs.

But the assemblyman and one of his aides emphasized to the students their power in shaping state policies, saying that many of the bills that O’Connell introduces each year are suggested by his constituents.

One student took the message seriously: “Maybe I could actually try to get a bill passed,” Ward said after O’Connell’s talk ended.

Ward said legalizing marijuana is a serious matter because it would end what he sees as a costly and ineffective battle to ban the weed.

“It’s a real big issue with me,” Ward said. “I’d rather have money for education and money for jobs than fighting something we can’t win.”

As he was leaving, Ward asked one of O’Connell’s aides how to get in touch with the assemblyman to further discuss a bill to study marijuana legalization.

Despite his lessons about citizen input in the legislative process, O’Connell said he knows how his office would respond if someone suggests that they put forward a bill promoting the legalization of drugs.

“We would respectfully decline,” he said.