A Virginia middle schooler was hit with a 364-day suspension and juvenile court charges after he allegedly told classmates that he had a leaf — yes, a single leaf — of marijuana. Months after this contraband, paired with a lighter, was discovered in the 11-year-old's backpack, multiple rounds of testing on the leaf revealed it was not actually pot. Oops?
The ordeal has reportedly caused the boy, who maintains he did not put the leaf in his bag, to suffer from panic attacks and depression. He is worried he will never be able to go to college or get a job.
The child's parents are suing the local sheriff's department and school district, the latter of which still refuses to admit fault. "The field test [on the leaf] came back not inconclusive, but negative," The family's lawyer said. "Yet [a school administrator] went to a magistrate and swore he possessed marijuana at school."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 artfully drawn cartoons about Donald Trump's Epstein doodleCartoons Artists take on a mountainous legacy, creepy art, and more
-
Violent videos of Charlie Kirk’s death are renewing debate over online censorshipTalking Points Social media ‘promises unfiltered access, but without guarantees of truth and without protection from harm’
-
What led to Poland invoking NATO’s Article 4 and where could it lead?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION After a Russian drone blitz, Warsaw’s rare move to invoke the important NATO statute has potentially moved Europe closer to continent-wide warfare
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
