REPORT SHOWS MORE STUDENTS CAUGHT WITH DRUGS

More students in Cleveland County schools are getting caught with
drugs, according to a recently released state school violence report
and area police reports.

The number of incidents in Cleveland County schools involving
possession of a controlled substance rose from 34 in the 2003-'04
school year to 51 in 2004-'05. There were 24 police reports involving
drugs at middle and high schools last school year. Less than halfway
into this school year, there have been 19 such reports as of Dec.
9.

Burns High has the highest number of reports involving drugs. As of
Dec. 9, Burns Resource Officer Cpl. Robby Barr said he had completed
nine reports that involved marijuana or abuse of prescription drugs.
There were six reports of drugs at the school in the last academic
year, according to Capt. Bobby Steen with the narcotics division of
the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office.

Barr and Burns Principal Brent McSwain are both new to the school
this year. They said the increase in reports is not necessarily
because there are more drugs at the school but may be because of
their more vigilant enforcement of the rules.

"We've made a big dent in drug use here at Burns this year," McSwain
said.

Director of Safe Schools Phil Weathers echoed McSwain's and Barr's
comments saying the cause of more crimes on the state's school
violence report is because more students are being caught and more
incidents are being reported.

Changes in the state's school violence report totals can be the
result of more thorough reporting and better enforcement of laws, in
addition to actual increases in the number of offenses committed on
school grounds, according to a N.C. Department of Public Instruction
news release cited by Weathers.

Weathers is on the agenda for tonight's Cleveland County Board of
Education meeting to discuss the report.

In a conference call Thursday, Weathers and Cleveland County Schools
spokeswoman Donna Carpenter said a report is sent to the state
education department in Raleigh every time any controlled substance
is found at a school, and law enforcement officers are notified.

Mrs. Carpenter said law enforcement officials write reports about the
serious incidents but not all of them. That is why the number of
incidents involving possession of a controlled substance on the state
school violence report is higher than the number of police reports
during the same time period.

Other County Schools

Steen said there were two reports of drugs at Burns Middle last
school year, and there have been zero so far this year. There have
been three so far this school year at Crest High, with two last
school year, Steen said. Crest Middle had two last school year and
zero so far this year.

Crest High School Resource Officer David Bramlett is also new to his
school. He said he has tried to form relationships with people so
they'll come forward with information of anything suspicious.

"I've been working to build up trust and a good rapport with
students, parents, staff and administration," Bramlett said. "I'm
trying to be as visible as possible."

Shelby High had one incident so far this school year, with zero at
Shelby Middle, according to Shelby Police Capt. Mark Brooks. Brooks
provided copies of reports showing three drug incidents at Shelby
High last school year and one at Shelby Middle on July 10.

Shelby High School Resource Officer Sherdala Wheeler said students
are her top source for information on criminal activity at the school.

"Most of the time, kids tell us things," Mrs. Wheeler said. "We
brought the dog in here two times last year searching for drugs, but
we haven't done it yet this year."

Kings Mountain Police Capt. Jerry Tessneer said copies of reports
were not available, but he said there were eight reports of drugs
last school year at Kings Mountain high and middle schools, and there
have been six so far this school year at the two schools. He said
the cases last school year involved prescription drugs and marijuana,
and all six this school year have involved marijuana.

Kings Mountain High Principal John Yarbro said his administration and
the school resource officer are proactive when it comes to fighting
teenage drug use. He is also enthused that some students have started
the club Students Against Violence Everywhere this year.

"Students here sign pledges to be drug free," Yarbro said.
"Throughout the year, we maintain a safe and orderly environment and
climate that's all about teaching and learning, where students police
themselves and know that there are consequences for bad choices, and
we'll deal with it and won't look the other way."

[sidebar]

Number of Acts of Possession of Controlled Substance

School 2003-'04 2004-'05

Burns High 14 14

Burns Middle 1 3

Crest High 8 3

Crest Middle 4 7

Kings Mountain High 6 9

Kings Mountain Middle 1 6

Shelby High 0 3

Shelby Middle 0 0

Davidson School 0 2

Kings Mountain Intermediate 0 2

Jefferson Elementary 0 2

Source - North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's 2004-'05
Annual Report on School Violence and Crime www.ncpublicschools.org