"I'm stupid, I smoke weed"

[enquirewithin]

Teen's Public Punishment: "I'm Stupid"


Written by Deborah Hoffman, Reporter







A 16-year-old Sacramento boy spent nearly eight hours on a busy intersection Tuesday holding a sign that read, in part, "I'm stupid."

On Sunday night, Dominiq Drye, 16, came home from hanging out with some friends. His mother, Christine Drye, said she knew immediately something was wrong. "His eyes were red and glossy," said Drye. "I knew something wasn't right."

Dominiq eventually admitted he had smoked some marijuana. His mother said this wasn't the first time. "I've tried taking things, I've tried other punishment. It's not working," she said.

So Drye decided to try something different, something extreme. On Monday night she told her son he was going to have to get up early for a day of work. Early Tuesday morning the two drove to the corner of Howe Avenue and Hurley Way in Sacramento.

"I reached in the back seat, pulled out the sign and gave it to him and he read it and started laughing," said Drye. The sign read, "I'm stupid. I smoke 'weed' marijuana."

"I told him this is your job: you're standing on this street holding up this sign today," said Drye.

From 7:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., Dominiq stood in the sun and held his sign. He admitted he was humiliated. "I feel embarrassed that I have to go through this and other people have to see me do this," he said. But Dominiq never complained. "It's fair enough," he said.

But some people driving by and filling their cars with gas across the street didn't think it was fair at all. Glenda Meyers of Sacramento said the teen's mother should have found another way. "It's sort of shameful that he has to stand out there in front of all those people," Meyers said.

Ty Mitchell is a father from Fair Oaks. "I think it's a little bit excessive. It's a bit much. He's 16 and that's a display that doesn't look good," he said.

Many others stopped to shake hands with Christine Drye and tell her she was doing a great job as a parent. One of those people was Brian Mitchell. He's the athletic director at Encina High School where he coaches Dominiq.

"This is a mom at her last resort trying to help her kid," said Mitchell. "What he's doing (smoking marijuana) could really cause a life- threatening situation."

Dominiq agreed. "Because I have asthma. I'm a chronic asthma and I have emphysema of the lungs and basically if I smoke weed it's like putting a gun to my head and killing myself," he said.

Drye said she just wants her son to be healthy. "My goal is to get my son to understand how severe this is," she said. "It can really kill him, you know. I want my son to bury me. I don't want to bury my son."

Dominiq said he's proud his mother took such a drastic step. "I feel like my mom she cares enough about me to do this, she loves me."

While the two were driving home, Drye said her son apologized to her again and promised he wouldn't smoke pot again. Drye said she told her son he only owes himself an apology.

Reputation Comments on this post:

what a nice mother. thanks for sharing.

[enquirewithin]

Wonder where he gets it from?

[grandbaby]

Originally Posted by enquirewithin

Wonder where he gets it from?

LOL, at first I thought you meant his weed. Maybe he and I have the same mom. :P

[DoomFarmer]

"What he's doing (smoking marijuana) could really cause a life- threatening situation."

The most hilarious thing I've read all day.

[Salvinorin A]

Originally Posted by DoomFarmer

"What he's doing (smoking marijuana) could really cause a life- threatening situation."

The most hilarious thing I've read all day.

I think he's refering to the kid's "chronic asthma" and emphysema. The words are just out of context, making it seem like weed is life threatening. Stupid media. Kid's retarded if he's got lung problems and decides to smoke, especially the the thick smoke of marijuana. Must have had the worst coughing fit of all his friends.

Whatever, I'm happy for them. I'm pretty sure his mom has been around sacramento and has taken a good gander at the people who smoke, of course she assumed that was probably gonna be the ultimate toll. But I think this is more of discipline problem rather than whether weed is bad or not.

Sal-A

[JDreaming]

I find it kind of creepy when parents resort to public humiliation in order to discipline their kids. And I'm not sure it's the most responsible parenting to have your kid stand in public holding a written admission to having broken the law, in a public area where cops and people who might be your boss or coworkers later are walking around. If the kid's got lung problems than this is a habit he needed to quit, but what a bizarre way of making the habit end!

[enquirewithin]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Publicly humiliating your kids like that is not good parenting!

Maybe his mum should have his health history to his sign as well.

[oldfart]

Besides the public humiliation. If he has Athsma he SHOULD be smoking pot. As far as emphasema, The verdict is still out. But for athsma. Cannabis is a bronchiole dialator and has been known to stop a full blown attack with one hit. This is documented and has been scientifically proven. AND swim knows from experience too.

[Nagognog2]

Reminds me of Psycho II - the next in the Norman Bates series of films. Perhaps next she'll make him wear nothing but her undergarments and send him to school. Norman gave mommy and her boyfriend strychnine cocktails for that one. I wonder what this poor kid will do his "Mommy Dearest?"

Whatever it is - I'm sure the Court will blame it on his marijuana usage.

[allyourbase]

swim has chronic asthma and bronchitis.....thc is a nonsteroidal bronchiol dialator....it helps you breath.

[Creeping Death]

I know dudes who can breathe easier after a smoke. Its a fair enough pusnishment though. Some people would send their own kid to rehab for a thing like that.