School Lets Students Smoke, But Only In A Cage

A Belgian school is going to let its students smoke - but only if they stand in a cage and wear a graphic badge.

The badge shows an X-ray image of a pair of lungs, blackened by smoking.

The new rule will be introduced for students over the age of 16 at the 'Vesalius Institute' in February.

Of the new rule, assistant director Claudine Lesaffre says: "We do a lot to promote a healthy lifestyle in our school. One third of our 600 students smoke. We've been trying to motivate the youngsters over the years, encouraged teachers to attend smoke free courses. But nothing seems to help".

"By wearing the badge, students expresses it is by their own free will they are damaging their health. If this won't help, I don't know what to do anymore".

But the students are more concerned about having to smoke in a cage than wearing the badge.

"It's like putting us in a cage in the zoo", says one studet.

The Belgian Commissioner For Children's Rights doesn't like the idea and says: "It's stigmatising for the students, because they will be looked at by the whole school. They can take measures that are far better than that badge or that cage".

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