VERNONIA, Ore. -- A Vernonia elementary school principal cited for marijuana possession will not lose his job, according to Kenneth Cox, Superintendent for the Vernonia School District.

Photo courtesy of the Vernonia School District

Principal Aaron Miller

Aaron Miller, 41, is principal of Washington Grade School in Vernonia and Mist Elementary School, which is approximately 17 miles north of Vernonia.

Last Friday night, a Clatsop County deputy patrolling Fort Stevens State Park cited Miller for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana, a violation punishable by a fine ranging between $500 and $1000.

According to the incident report in the case, Clatsop County Deputy Chance More pulled over after noticing a “long flickering light coming from a lighter.” The report says the deputy then saw Miller, smelled marijuana and asked Miller if he had been smoking some.

More wrote that Miller admitted he had been smoking marijuana and allowed Chance to search him, telling the deputy “Yes, the pipe is in the left pocket and I have a small amount of marijuana in my right pocket.”

Miller was cited and released. He has declined to comment.

Cox says he has no plans to fire or suspend Miller.

“It was unfortunate it happened, but one instant doesn’t change the character of this person,” said Cox. “It does impact his ability and trust he has with his students. And that’s going to have to start over.”

Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin was dismayed by Cox’s decision.

“He (Miller) might be a nice guy,” said Bergin. “But it’s a really conflicting message we’re sending to young adults.”

The Vernonia School District was once the flashpoint for the debate over drug testing for student athletes. In 1991, a middle school student refused to take a mandatory drug test and was banned from playing any school sports. His parents sued.

That court fight went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the Vernonia School District defended its right to administer random drug tests to athletes. That 6-3 decision in 1995 upheld the district’s drug testing policy.

Cox acknowledges that some parents may see his decision as a condoning a double standard, one for students and another for staff. But he says he does not subscribe to the “lynch ‘em up” philosophy, that Miller is “an excellent role model who made a poor choice.”

Thursday night, Cox will meet in executive session with the Vernonia School Board to further discuss Miller’s situation.

Miller’s court date is August 6.