Hello everyone:

How do you pick a topic to write about? Hopefully, you do not seek out the one topic that the professor will hate and focus all of your attention on that.

Case in point: I teach a few classes per year as an adjunct full professor for a college I have been with for the past ten or more years. I enjoy teaching business and professional writing for them and the college seems to enjoy my enjoyment.

This term, I have a student who shall remain nameless (lest he sue me) who has proposed a topic as follows: He wants to write about his stance that, since pot is now legal in many states, employees who come to work high should be allowed to sue their employers for discrimination, should the employers fire them for coming in stoned. Say what????? Seriously??

I even suggested earlier in the term that he pick a different, more appropriate topic but he is not to be deterred. Be still my soul….

I would love to get your take on this issue. What would you do with this suggestion? Can you even imagine a doctor suing the hospital for firing him (or her) for coming in to perform brain surgery, after having a few drags on a marijuana cigarette? Perish the thought! Am I being too conservative?

Best,

Dr. Sheri