Professors, pot and police

   The other day it came to my attention that a UAlbany adjunct professor was arrested by state police for growing and likely selling marijuana. According to Fox 23 News, Marketing Professor Scott Davidson “allegedly had over 80 plants and sophisticated growing equipment, scales and packaging material as well.”
   If there was ever a professor suited for underground drug marketing, you can be sure that Scott Davidson was not one of them. Possessing a doctorate apparently doesn’t mean you have enough street smarts to conduct an illegal drug dealing operation without getting caught.
   However, does it really matter that a UAlbany professor was illegally growing and selling marijuana? Should this be the grounds for dismissal? Will Scott the Pot ever have another employment opportunity in the teaching profession?
   If you take time to read the UAlbany 2009 Community Rights and Responsibilities manual, you would know “possessing, using, or distributing a controlled substance or dangerous drug, or any drug unlawful to possess, e.g. marijuana, except as expressly permitted by law,” is in conflict with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989 (Public Law 101-226) and is grounds for university disciplinary action and criminal prosecution — and that’s just students.  
   Theoretically, there should be a higher code of conduct for professors and staff, considering they aren’t reckless young adults attending the former #1 party school in the nation.
   If Scotty does get expelled from teaching at the college level — even though this is probably to be expected — is it really fair in the grand scheme of things? Was Davidson really that big of a threat to the community?
   When pondering what kind of professions should have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to breaking the law and showing a total disregard for the rules and regulations, aside from teaching professionals my next closest guess was police officers. After all, they are the professionals tasked with arresting those who break the laws, as a means of protecting and serving the greater good of the community. How can they enforce the law when they themselves are in contempt of the law? Shouldn’t there be a zero tolerance policy for people who pursue law enforcement as a career?
   I only need three words to sum up the double-standard that exists in our upstate community: Schenectady Police Department. Last year, former Schenectady chief of police Greg Kaczmarek was convicted and sentenced to prison on drug charges; currently, Schenectady police officer Dwayne Johnson is facing a 15-count indictment for having racked up an all-time city pay record of $168,000 in 2008. Those are just the two top dogs of justice who were caught sliding down the slippery slopes of Schenectady’s mean streets in recent times.
   It would seem that if there wasn’t at least a zero tolerance policy for Schenectady P.D., then there should at least be a mandatory period of probation for Schenectady police officers who are charged with illegal activities. If not mandatory probation, then there should at least be a three-strike you’re off the force policy, right?
   One need not look any further than Schenectady P.D’s newest shining star John Lewis to get the picture. Officer Lewis was arrested Saturday night after leaving Ellis Hospital drunk, getting in his car drunk, then hitting a car in the hospital parking lot and leaving the scene of the accident drunk!
   This latest drinking and driving incident is the sixth time Officer Lewis has been arrested in the last two years according to Fox 23, among other classy acts including: drinking and driving, stalking, harassment, vandalism and racial slurs.
   I’m fairly certain he would’ve gotten kicked out of the teaching profession a long time ago for that kind of consistent misbehavior.
   I find it absolutely amazing the Schenectady P.D. has such stellar standards for its star performers; you know that they’re putting the best interest of the common good first and foremost when they reinstall public protectors like Officer Lewis time and time again.
   Saint Thomas Aquinas, a philosopher, theologian and political theorist from medieval times; proposed in his work the Summa Theologica that the grand purpose of implementing man-made laws was to serve the common good of the community.
   When you create laws that infringe on privacy rights and dictate how individuals can conduct themselves when they aren’t doing any harm to anyone else; this creates animosity and dissent in the community, which defeats the whole purpose of creating man-made laws to begin with.
   So although what Scott the Pot Prof. did was illegal by law, it would seem that if a corrupt police officer that put the community at risk could be given six second-chances in a two year period, then Scott the Pot Prof. should still retain his right to teach after being reprimanded and placed on probation. After all, people’s livelihoods are at stake.