Just two months ago, after Multnomah County prosecutors cut a deal with three Lincoln High School drug dealers, columnist David Reinhard bravely stood up for the prosecutors when people questioned the wisdom of letting them off scot-free and wondered if the lack of prosecution for their drug-dealing was related to economic status and political connections of the father of one of the students.
This month, Reinhard’s all puffed out because a different Lincoln High School drug dealer was allowed to attend the prom by school officials because they stuck to the letter of administration policy and the crime wasn’t school-related. “What kind of message did all this send? That drug dealing is not serious business?” says Reinhard, waving his arms in the air, in my imagination.
Funny, I was asking the same question when the prosecutors decided not to prosecute the other guys. Only I was thinking they should go to jail, not be barred from the prom. Harsh.