Two students attending Northern Secondary School have won a court case that demonstrates the limits on schools in keeping kids safe from alcohol misuse at school events. An Ontario judge, Susan Himel, has found that requiring kids to take a breathalyzer test as a condition of getting into the prom is an unreasonable search under the Charter of Rights. It is of course entirely a matter of opinion whether this expectation is really what judge Himel thinks, but in this case, she is the judge. Northern Secondary School principal Ron Felsen had wanted to make sure that the school did not risk the not uncommon problem of intoxicated students causing trouble at the prom. In last year’s event, it appears there were no problems. The students involved were Brett Gorski and Simon Gillies. They challenged the school’s ruling with the assistance Mr. Gillie’s father, a lawyer.
