By TINA LABELLARTE

Last summer the District 207 school board turned down requests from Student Councils both at Maine East and here at Maine West for a smoking area at each school. Officials at the district office have also vowed to continue their no smoking policy for students this year.

In a statement released about two weeks ago, Superintendent Richard Short said, "In view of the vast amount of evidence to support the relationship between smoking and fatal diseases, I would be derelict in the fulfillment of my responsibilities as a school superintendent to advocate the establishment of smoking facilities for students."

Dr. Short's concern for the students' health is quite admirable. However, I fail to see why his concern for life and death does not extend to the faculty. The fact that the faculty members are "adults" and capable of making decisions concerning heir own health may be one of his reasons. If they are so capable, why do they choose to smoke?

The Student Council smoking survey taken last year here at Maine West indicated that 38 per cent of the students smoke. Of those who smoke, 28 per cent were suspended by the dean. Over 938 students in the district were suspended last year for smoking.

District policy states that when a student is caught smoking on campus he is given a mandatory three-day suspension. Any work missed during this time cannot be made up.

As school is designed to be a valuable learning process, the suspension of a student because he fails to make an intelligent decision concerning his own health is as ridiculous as firing a teacher for the same reason.

Although only 38 per cent of the student body smokes, they are not the only ones to suffer because of it. Any of the more than 3,000 students who use the school's washrooms are subject to the discomforts of a smoke‑filled room.

The question seems to be whether or not the students have a right to make decisions concerning their own health.