SCHOOL WON'T ACT ON TAPE

School officials have no plans to discipline students taped over a six-day
period smoking cigarettes and marijuana around Hilton Head High School,
according to a news release sent from the school Tuesday.

"We will use our discipline codes to deliver consequences for misbehavior
when we see it firsthand," Principal Helen Ryan said in the statement.

"I have asked all staff to be mindful that students may forget the rules so
close to school being over for the summer, but all school rules will apply
through the last day, May 30," Ryan stated.

About "two dozen" students had been "observed and videotaped" smoking
marijuana outside the school since May 3, according to a Beaufort County
Sheriff's Office drug task force. Police at 7:30 a.m. Friday temporarily
detained several students "on suspicious activity," but none had drugs, the
report states.

The videotape was given to the school's resource officer Friday for review.
A letter was sent to parents explaining the event.

Ryan viewed the footage over the weekend before meeting with Hilton Head
High administrative officials and the school's resource officer Monday to
decide a course of action.

In the statement, Ryan said she intends to "use these (surveillance) tapes
as a means to increase the safety and security plan here at Hilton Head
High School."