A Florida teacher was fired from her job after the school district she worked for discovered that she had been using medical cannabis that was legally prescribed by a doctor.
Allison Enright, a teacher at Space Coast Junior/Senior High School in Brevard County, Florida, revealed that she uses medical cannabis after taking a drug test due to an injury at work, where a student pushed her down a flight of stairs. Enright said she takes a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) pill twice a day to treat a medical condition. Before using medical cannabis, Enright said she used opioids and sometimes had to use a wheelchair because of pain and weakness.
“I want to make it clear: I don’t do drugs,” Enright said, addressing the board during the public comment period. “I don’t smoke pot. I don’t get high. … I love teaching. It’s not just what I do; it’s who I am. I have been at a loss without my students and colleagues. Space Coast high is my family, and I want to go back. Please, let me go back home.”
Medical cannabis became legal in Florida in 2016, and only non-smokable forms of medical cannabis were allowed until that ban was lifted in 2019. Because cannabis is still illegal on a federal level, the school district must be a drug-free workplace to continue receiving certain federal grants. The school district adopted a policy in 2019 that allows students to use prescribed medical cannabis, but the policy doesn’t address teachers.
All board members expressed regret at having to discuss Enright’s termination, but the board upheld the district’s decision to fire Enright in a 3-2 vote. Board Vice Chair Matt Susin and member Jennifer Jenkins voted against the firing. Board Chair Misty Belford, who voted for the firing, said she would like to see the policy updated to prevent similar situations from happening in the future.
