Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

Op Ed
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By Peggy Lamb

[This Op-Ed is in response to recent reports of the Carpinteria School District working with local marijuana growers. Read KEYT's story for more information.]

What's next? Cannabis laced cupcakes at the school bake sale? CARP Growers has the audacity of bribing Carpinteria School District with a measly sum of money earmarked for a drug and alcohol counselor at the schools. I'm a fan of sarcasm and Mad Magazine, but come on guys, really?

Like the oil companies campaigning for a clean environment and the tobacco companies donating to find a cure for lung cancer, the cannabis growers have now jumped aboard the sleazy tactic of buying off those most adversely affected by their industry. I find some humor in the fact that one argument given was that Carp High School students don't mind the odor. Huh? It's like going to the Santa Barbara Bowl and enjoying the high of the surrounding pot smokers.

The bottom line is the CARP Growers want to make money regardless of the impact on Carpinteria. It's the bad neighbor who moved in next door and there is no law protecting you. BUT, the schools are responsible to protect the children, yes even the teenagers. Taking money from cannabis growers is like dedicating your athletic stadium to Jack Daniels because Uncle Jack was so nice to donate the funds.

It's bad enough that CARP Growers bought off Das Williams, but heh, he's a politician and isn't that one of the perks? In seriousness, I implore the Carpinteria School District Board to rethink taking the money. It's hypocritical.

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Bodyboarder73
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Sep 12, 2019 06:49 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

It's funny how people think that if you smoke weed that you are a addict. I partake like maybe 4 times a year. I wonder how often the one's condemning other people's harmless personal freedom's are drinking alcohol or popping pain pills prescribed by a doctor? If you answer to neither of those, then good on you, just don't forget that it's legal now and here to stay.

helena
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Sep 12, 2019 09:22 AM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

If this money was earned legally and donated legally, then I see no problem with financing another valuable school counselor. That photo op might not have been ideal, though.

a-1569215195
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Sep 12, 2019 01:28 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

= Dopemania (so crazed about the weed you can't see the detrimental effect) ...chronic abuse = cool, mind dulling = way to enjoy life, ...keep on truckin' ...lol!

pstarSR
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Sep 12, 2019 07:47 AM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

so, one of the biggest issues was carp school. and so the school district started working on a fix, with the growers......... why is this bad? its called coming together, discussing the problem and fixing it. let alone the tax from this product is already slated for use by the school district. neighbors work together, not close doors in each others faces. The santa barbara Bowl comment was interesting though, as though smoking and growing it have the same effect on surrounding areas. Next time, lets get real info instead of sensationalizing it. Growing cannabis does not transfer "active properties" of the plant to anyone through smell/ air. If this was the case, people could just sit in a room with a plant and "enjoy" it. which isnt the case.

a-1569215195
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Sep 12, 2019 07:43 AM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

This is unreal, so the growers cant even donate to the kids in a positive way without getting slammed?! Carpinteria/ Santa Barbara is full of complete dips and kooks.

Luvaduck
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Sep 12, 2019 07:28 AM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

The branding phenomena is totally out of hand. The only place I'd like to see it increase is on politician's clothing whenever they campaign or show up at public functions or in any official capacity. At those times, they should wear outfits with the logos of their sponsors like NASCAR racers do: Let voters know whose views they represent so we can vote our own political preferences whatever they are.

Factotum
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Sep 12, 2019 09:58 AM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

Local politicians are all pretty much owned by the local public employee unions. Yes, it would be nice to see them wearing those brands as they sit across the table and negotiate our tax dollars for their patron's benefit.

ChillinGrillin
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Sep 12, 2019 12:24 AM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

I don't see a problem here. The growers are making a public donation to local education. Would people rather have them just do nothing and be bad neighbors?

jqb
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Sep 11, 2019 10:52 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

"What's next? Cannabis laced cupcakes at the school bake sale? " No. entertaining such absurdities is intellectually dishonest and destroys your credibility. (Just a few minutes ago I read about a fellow named Sohrab Ahmari claiming that, if the Democrats win in 2020 they will rebuild the Colliseum and and feed Christians to the lions. Don't be like that guy.)

NotReallyDave
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Sep 11, 2019 09:23 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

The problem that my neighborhood has is that there is a smell problem and an ordinance against it, but the smell enforcers have decided that the illegal smell generator has more rights than the neighborhood. This is bad government.

a-1569215195
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Sep 11, 2019 08:42 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

I support the cannabis industry but the photo op and publicity regarding this donation is idiotic. This is a divided community. For these two entities to broadcast this tour with school district officials wearing hats is clearly a political move, a move which could have derailed the donation all together.

a-1569215195
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Sep 11, 2019 08:09 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

Why tear down Peggy for posting her opinion? I worry abiut my own business, and not about the opinions of others. Makes life so much more simple. Namaste and blessings to all.

DBD
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Sep 11, 2019 04:27 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

I grew up in SB attended public schools. Let me tell you that weed was rampant in our schools decades before prop 64. I don't think this means they are going to start handing out joints in everyone's sack lunch. Our schools were underfunded two decades ago and still are today as far as i know. Would these funds be acceptable if the CARP growers grew hemp, tobacco, hops, avocados, grapes?

SantaBarbaraObserver
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Sep 11, 2019 03:39 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

This reads like a rant from someone who has been indoctrinated by decades of propaganda and is obviously extremely out of touch with today's world... What is it about Carp that brings out the loudest whines?

a-1569215195
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Sep 11, 2019 02:37 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

Classic signs of addiction being ignored by the addicted. If most everything is better in life for you when you are high, 99% chance you've got the addiction bug. Just sayin'....

a-1569215195
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Sep 11, 2019 01:28 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

Even under the best of intentions, the optics are always bad when a high school receives money from booze or drug sources. I would hope that the district refuses donations from the likes of Budweiser, Pacific Beverage, or Island Brewing (for example). And not to derail the thread, but if they do keep it let's hope it's not that same result as that lottery money (as the general budget decreased by an amount equal to the lottery money, for the same net).

ZeroHawk
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Sep 11, 2019 03:09 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

they do this to help support a local business and farmer. i see nothing wrong with this. that place just handed them a HUGE amount of cash...wear the hat...

a-1569215195
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Sep 11, 2019 01:35 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

I think it's okay for the school district to accept donations from any business as long as there are no strings attached. But to take a photo donning the weed growers' uniforms and hats? Very strange and foolish choice... And a really bad look for the school district.

a-1569215195
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Sep 11, 2019 01:07 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

The "sleaze factor" of Carpinteria increases daily. I do not believe it, but according to some posters on Edhat, the vast majority of the people in Carp are pro-weed.

ZeroHawk
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Sep 11, 2019 03:09 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

i second this: at 1:07 - so being "pro-weed" is sleazy? Why? Tell me what's wrong with adults being ok with other adults choosing to use a non-lethal, non-addictive substance for either personal reasons or medicinal ones? What's wrong with that?

a-1569215195
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Sep 11, 2019 01:09 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

at 1:07 - so being "pro-weed" is sleazy? Why? Tell me what's wrong with adults being ok with other adults choosing to use a non-lethal, non-addictive substance for either personal reasons or medicinal ones? What's wrong with that?

Factotum
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Sep 11, 2019 12:19 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

Sin taxes - once you become dependent on the income, the sin gets institutionalized. If this pot group really wanted to do something, they could have set up their own private "drug counseling" service off campus and conducted all their community service activities, without embedding themselves into the public schools.

a-1569215195
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Sep 11, 2019 12:18 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

If CARP growers independently made a donation to the school for a drug/alcohol counselor, bravo for them. But seeing the photo and knowing that it's some type of partnership is really shady and people have the right to be upset. Education shouldn't be in the pocket of big business.

ZeroHawk
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Sep 11, 2019 03:11 PM
Opinion: CARP Growers Bribe the School District

"But seeing the photo and knowing that it's some type of partnership is really shady and people have the right to be upset. Education shouldn't be in the pocket of big business." How do you know there is a "partnership"? making a false claim is just as shady. Education shouldn't be in the pocket of big business? yeah and a lot of other things. So what. We need more funding for schools. If it comes from a farmer, so be it.

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