Smoking isn’t very elegant these days, and I certainly understand the need of parents or grandparents or other concerned citizens to protect their children from the dangers of cigarette smoking. That is a given.
On the other hand, in our free society, tobacco products are regulated and sold, and are still a legal product to consume under certain circumstances.
From a legal stand point provincially, the Smoke-free Places Act of 2002 dictates many things, of interest to my story is Section 5 (1) b, No person shall smoke in any enclosed place that is or includes a school, community college or university. From a civic law perspective, smoking is prohibited near building entrances; no smoking is allowed within 4 meters of windows, air intake vents and entrances to places of employment.
I don’t smoke inside my home, and I do my best not to smoke in front of my child, let alone other children.
So, back to my story. I was on my way to pick up my son at school today, he gets out at 3:00. I decided to light up a smoke on the way to pick him up, but I must have been walking pretty fast because I still hadn’t finished it by the time I arrived off site of the school grounds, where there is a telephone pole on the sidewalk I normally lean on while waiting. It was about 2:50 by the time I arrived. So I was waiting there on the sidewalk (off school grounds and a good twenty feet from the entrance), having the last few puffs of my cigarette before I put it out.
At this point, an older man who I had seen around the school (I believe he is a grandparent of one of the children who attends the school) comes over to me and in a menacing tone says to me “I don’t want you smoking outside the school – you are a bad influence on the children”.
To say I was taken aback would be an understatement; it is not like I stand in front of the school with any kind of intention of corrupting todays youth.
I responded to him by saying that if the bell rang I would definitely extinguish my cigarette promptly since I wouldn’t want to be flaunting my tobacco use in front of kids, so if the bell rang I would definitely put it out.
He responded by saying “No, you can’t smoke here, do you want me to go inside and tell the office?”
Again, I was dumbfounded.
I felt like I was an elementary student again, being accosted by some over agitated geriatric.
I told him “Go for it” and he made his way to go into school. He yelled something at me again but I didn’t hear him so I said “Feel free in the future to keep your opinions to yourself”.
This really got him fired up. He then said to me “Well you look like an asshole” To which I responded “Likewise” and he proceeded to enter the school.
Not that I’m really sure what he meant by that. I mean, since he is the pruney puckered old man, I would think it would be he who looks like an asshole… But I digress.
Shortly after this point my cigarette was done, so I disposed of it and continued to wait for my son. This was about 2 minutes before the bell rang to let the kids out for the day.
So then, the bell rang, and some of the kids started exiting the school. The old man came back out of the school and waited for the children he was picking up and avoided eye contact with me.
My son came out of the doors and so I went up to meet him and we were on our way home, when behind us, the Vice Principal of the school was running up to me to talk to me.
He said to me”You aren’t allowed to smoke outside of the school.” I just sort of stared at him for a moment, I would think someone of his stature would have a little more tact than the old man did when dealing with a parent of a child at his school, or the general public. Apparently they don’t hire these people for their communication skills.
I told him I would continue to smoke if I choose to, and there was nothing he could do about it. He then said “Well, we’ll see about that” and he trudged his way back to school.
Wow! Well the Vice principal is a short stocky man, probably a good 80 pounds overweight. I wonder if anyone ever accosts him, and tells him that because he is so fat, that he is a bad influence on the children. I wonder if any of the kids at that school would decide to overeat and become a big fat pig like the vice principal in the future, and therefore be at a much higher risk of diabetes and heart issues?
Welcome to the Nanny State, a little zone outside an Elementary School, in Dartmouth, where over-zealous citizens feel the need to make up laws on the spot to suit their own particular views on life.
This article appears in Apr 10-16, 2008.
You make some good points in your bitch. You were minding your own business (and obeying the law) with the intentions of finishing your cigarette before school was over. The old man should mind his own business. His comment on you being a bad influence on the students when you were not even actively smoking in front of them, and then he goes running to school saying, “you look like an asshole”. Well what if a classroom window were open and a student had heard him? So, I do agree that the old man, nor the Vice Principal had any right to address your smoking (which you were doing by obeying the law). However, I do not agree with when you imply that the Vice Principals weight issue would have a bad influence on the childrens eating habits. Children learn the majority of their eating habits at home from their parents or caregivers and I’m sure they don’t actually see what or how the Vice Principal performs his eating habits. There are also a lot more that influences ones weight such as physical activity and genes. So, if I were you…continue to smoke where you were obeying the law and ignore the old fart and Vice Principal.
The sad thing is we have no one to blame but ourselves. We’ve created this nanny state. We expect it to rescue us from bad decisions, our own stupidity, from when we don’t plan ahead for pitfalls etc. We’ve stood quiet while our elected officials pass law after law telling us what we can and can’t do. (smoke in cars, cell phone use, etc) and NOW we’re wondering why we can’t blink without someone telling us where and when and how much the fine will be. Heck, we can’t even post on the Coast site without the WebNazi having to mind our posts. Are we Really that Fragile a society? Really? that we can’t live and be happy unless so higher authority steps in?
“I think her point was that if she is a bad influence on those kids that arent hers, than he would be considered one as well, considering most of these kids learn the bad habits at home, they would both be equally as bad of an influence.”ooooh I see what you’re saying…I guess I just took it the wrong way, but that makes a lot more sense to make her point worth saying haha! Thanks for clearing that up 🙂
Thanks for your support! And yes, that was my point; that since the Vice Principal is obese, and since I am a smoker, we are both just as likely to be a bad influence on kids… Perhaps more so the Vice Principal since he is an authority figure at the school who has daily contact with all of the students at that school… And I’m not a she… Yes, Dads sometimes pick up their son at school too! 😉
I’m surprised there isn’t a wall and a firing squad nearby. If smokes are so damn evil, why not just make them illegal? Oh, I forgot – the government doesn’t want to lose the tax revenues. You didn’t expect MPs and MLAs to party at Motel 6, did ya? What pettiness.
i personally think that smokers should have the right to destroy a lung if they so choose. but i also believe that children, asthmastics etc have a right as well. corner stores now have to hide their cigarettes due to a new law…this is idiotic! people still smoke and buy them. seems our government is running around with their heads cut off trying to figure out this smoking ban/policy. you either enforce it or don’t, but don’t make vague laws that you are not going to follow. I agree with the smoking around schools and hospitals.
I know aren’t the smoking nazi’s wonderful. Thanks to a combination of their complaining (maybe 2% in total) and my commitment to getting in shape this year, I’m quitting on Monday. So they can fuck off for the next few weeks about any residual smoke smell in my clothes.I do however reserve the right to smoke a cigar or two every now and then.
I completely agree with the original OP, and not only that, I personally don’t give a crap about people i don’t care about nor people that will effect myself in any way shape of form.I can understand the grandparent, having nothing better to do and being bitter for the rest of his remaining years. Some just don’t get much excitement so they tend to create it. I probably would have blown smoke in his face actually.The law says any enclosed place, you were outside so that doesn’t apply, You must be 4 metres away from any entrance, you were 6 metres away and off school property. I’m not much for smoking and I don’t recommend it, and it pisses me off to see some smoking at building entrances. But i fully support you in this situation because you did everything that’s possible to avoid harming anyone. If i were you, I’d get a copy of these laws, go to the principal and not vice principal and talk to him/her. The vice principal had no reason or right to even talk to you about that matter. Also if smoking is a bad influence, being a fat ass and overeating is!
good post!
“Oh, I forgot – the government doesn’t want to lose the tax revenues. You didn’t expect MPs and MLAs to party at Motel 6, did ya? What pettiness.”why is it people say stupid crap like this? easy, they arent working in the job, partying it up like they are. However, there isnt anything preventing the poster for running for office to enjoy the same advantages. So unless you are going to go make an example and get into office and not do this, shut up and stick to the topic at hand and save the shots at the government as they really do not have place in the conversation.
for the OP, man, i feel ya on this. I would have found a way to word it, ” one isnt in a position to talk on health issue and what kids percieve if one isnt spot perfect themselves or has a glaring situation which is equally influential on the same masses. Should this be told to them like that, the VP cannot discriminate as you havent singled them out or insulted them directly. It is a polite way of implyin the message you which to send to him was “shut up porky, kids arent learning great physical specimen each time they see you”Should you get fired or be treated poorly in any way. You could take that statement i gave you to the board and ask them one simple question, “is there anything in my performance record that has me before you as if the reasn you have me here is the statement I made to Mr. (insert name) never made referance to him or any insecurites he might have.Watch heads roll.