School board
institutes new anti-drug policy
Third-strike-and-your-out
procedures put in place
"Our
committee listened to 24 students from the district’s four secondary
schools. They told us they would like to have a stronger policy."
—JIM
LEWIS, district
superintendent
By DANA
DUGAN
Express Staff Writer
A new
anti-drug policy for all grade levels was approved last week by the
Blaine County School Board of Trustees. The vote was 3 to 0. Chairwoman
Claudia Fiaschetti and Kim Nilsen were absent.
Questions
regarding the third-strike-and-your-out policy were raised at the last
minute by board member Kate Parnes, but school district administrators
and school principals assured her and the board that
"tweaking" of the language could still be done on some of the
issues, according to District Superintendent Jim Lewis.
Under the
district’s new anti-drug policy, a student would be punished for
possession or use of tobacco, alcohol or any illegal inhalant or
controlled mood-altering chemical, abused chemical, and drug-use
paraphernalia.
For a
student’s first offense, the child’s parents or guardians as well as
local law enforcement officials would be notified. There would be an
immediate expulsion from school with a recommendation for a 30-day
suspension.
There are
several ways a first offense student would be able to reduce the time
spent on suspension, including participation in a drug or alcohol
treatment program, involvement by a parent or guardian, and community
service. Upon return to school the student would be escorted to classes
and required to do homework under supervision for two hours after school
for five days.
For the
second offense there would be a recommendation for expulsion for a full
school year. It may be modified to a minimum of one trimester if the
student and parent agree to 10 days of community service, drug and
alcohol assessment with a urinalysis, community service and
recommendations for any education or treatment. Upon return to school
the student would have to adhere to a strict behavioral contract.
The third
offense would result in expulsion with no chance of reduction of the
full-year suspension penalty.
For the
sale of any illegal substances, including tobacco and alcohol, the first
offense would result in immediate suspension with a recommendation for
expulsion for one year. The police would be notified.
Generally,
if a student is suspected by a teacher, counselor or administrator of
abuse of any of illegal substances they would be asked to come to the
principal’s office for questioning. The parent or guardian would be
called and, if necessary, the school resource officer would also be
summoned.
A key
provision of the new policy is a "reasonable suspicion" clause
that comes directly from action by the Idaho Legislature earlier this
year.
If a
teacher, for example, suspects a student is under the influence, the
teacher can document the student’s behavior on a checklist and send a
referral form to school administrators—who would start established
procedures to deal with the problem.
Blaine
County teachers received training in drug identification procedures
before the start of the 2002-03 school year, Lewis said in a previous
interview.
"We
are trying not to accuse a kid without probable cause," he said.
The
"Behavior and Discipline" policy was crafted through the work
of a 40-person community committee that has been meeting since last
November.
Lewis
said the "most compelling" testimony in favor of strengthening
the school district’s drug and alcohol policies came from students
themselves during a two-hour meeting in Hailey in February.
"Our
committee listened to 24 students from the district’s four secondary
schools. They told us they would like to have a stronger policy,"
Lewis said.
Random
drug testing "has not been proposed and is not on the agenda,"
Lewis said, despite the June 27 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld
drug testing for students in extracurricular activities.
The Code
of Conduct came under public scrutiny last fall when an off-campus party
resulted in 20 Wood River High athletes being suspended from four
different school activities because of violations of the previously
existing Code of Conduct and Health.