The Idol of American Youth...

...hopefully is not Dan Siegel, a member of the Oakland school board who got clipped trying to board a flight out of Oakland International with a stash of cannabis. Marijuana is "just a part of life," says Siegel.

And people in Oakland wonder why their public education system stinks. That odor is the smell of burning sensimilla and ZigZag paper.

The poor example to potential youthful scofflaws aside, what was this guy thinking, trying to smuggle his weed onto an airplane? Dude, they're making little old ladies strip to their skivvies at security stations now. Did you really think they weren't going to nail you with a baggie in your pocket?

I can foresee Siegel's pathetic defense being used by students in the Oakland school district for a broad variety of campus offenses. Packing a Glock? "Just a part of life, teacher." Kicking a smaller kid's butt on the playground? "Hey, abuse is just a part of life — he'll have to get used to it sooner or later." Swiping another student's lunch money out of his backpack? "Even the government steals...it's just a part of life."

Hopefully, the next time Siegel runs for public office — he's announced his intention to run for mayor next year — the voters of Oakland will show him that losing, too, is just a part of life.