Ask a Stoner: Aren't Denver Teachers Drug-Tested for Pot?

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Dear Stoner: Aren’t teachers drug-tested for marijuana? Seems hypocritical to use that weed money to give them raises...
Johnny G.

Dear Johnny: When a Glendale dispensary sold penny eighths to Denver Public Schools teachers during the first days of their strike, a handful of readers asked us about DPS’s drug policies. According to DPS human resources, “DPS only tests for cause...a person needs to be exhibiting behaviors on the job that create a suspicion they are impaired at work. We would then have them tested. DPS does not do pre-employment testing or random testing except for people who are required to have a drivers’ license for their jobs, such as bus drivers.”

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iStock/AHPhotoswpg

As for the tax issue, distributing marijuana taxes in a vacuum isn’t that easy. Colorado law requires that most of the state’s marijuana revenue from taxes and fees go to public school construction projects, as well as programs to boost education and fight against bullying, drug use and dropouts. Funneling state money directly into teacher salary funds would take new legislation, and we know how quickly lawmakers move. Cities, counties and school districts have more control over what to do with certain pot revenue fees and taxes collected within their jurisdictions, but we couldn’t find any using the money for teachers’ salaries. I’m not sure I’d want my salary to rely on pot sales, anyway, no matter how skunky Denver is.

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