Signs discouraging driving while high posted in Windsor high school washrooms
There's a new addition inside the washrooms of Kennedy Collegiate Institute. It's not new toilets or fancy sinks — but rather, signs meant to discourage driving while under the influence of marijuana.
The Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) introduced the signs in the school's washrooms Monday. Kennedy Collegiate Institute is currently the only school in Windsor's public board to display the signs.
The signs, titled Teen Beliefs About Cannabis and Driving, were designed in consultation with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to dispel misconceptions about impaired driving, regarding cannabis-related arrest rates and among others,
Kennedy principal Josh Canty said the signs serve as a precautionary measure for students who consider bringing cannabis to school.
"We know that there was a huge spike in drunk driving in years back, and now there's texting and driving that's a major problem, so we forsee that there could be problems with being under the influence of cannabis and driving."
Though Kennedy is currently the only school in the GECDSB to display the signs, they will be put up in bathrooms of more schools in Windsor's public board soon, according to Canty. He said the main goal of the signs is to "increase awareness" of the drug's effects.
"It's good to have them in the bathroom because, where they're situated, kids are either standing or sitting when they're using the washroom. So unless, they're using their phone, hopefully they'll be able to read those messages and take them to heart."
Jim MacDougall, the school's phys-ed director, agrees. He said it's important that students view "driving high" with the same stigma as drunk driving.
"We talk a lot about that in our health and physical education classes ... The more that we can educate students on the topic, the more that they can make educated decisions as they get older and become adults themselves," said MacDougall.
"At the end of the day, it's ultimately the kids' decision as to whether or not they're going to experiment and try some of these drugs, but the more positive information that they can get, ... I think it allows them to make a more informed decision."
MacDougall added placing the signs in the bathroom ensures the "greatest percentage of people are going to see them." One example he points to is the phys-ed wing, which is only attended by students enrolled in health and physical education courses.
"By strategically placing them in the bathroom, I think that the majority of the kids over the course of a week will use the bathroom here and get the opportunity to see those signs."
Grade 10 student Jacob Bondy first noticed the signs Monday and said he had no problem with them being posted in the washrooms since movie theatres and fast food restaurants display advertisements there as well.
"So having something that's informative, I think, it a good choice for the school board. It's short and it's not too much to read. It's short enough that you get to read the entire thing while you're there and then you learn something and you can go on with your day," said Bondy.
He said any method of providing students with the information they need to make informed decisions is a good one — especially when the decision to drive high is one which affects other people.
"When you drive under the influence, your judgment is skewed so that you could end up hurting somebody else, so it's the fact that you're putting others' lives in danger over your own."
