SCHOOLS REDUCE PENALTY FOR DRUGS, ALCOHOL

Board: Revision Maintains Substance Policy's Strength

The penalty for possessing alcohol and drugs in Harrisonburg City
Schools has been reduced but still carries the sting of suspension
and a report to police.

The School Board has eliminated the portion of the punishment that
called for 30 days of alternative education outside of the student's
regular classroom.

At their meeting last week, board members also discussed whether the
use of alcohol and drugs should carry different punishments.

In ending the requirement for alternative education, members said a
change in class scheduling since the time the punishment was enacted
essentially doubled the regular instructional time missed.

"I don't think the punishment was fitting the crime when we were
knocking kids out of their AP [Advanced Placement] classes, or in a
worst-case scenario, could be knocking class ranking down, knocking
kids out of certain colleges or some scholarship programs," said
board member Tom Mendez.

Penalty Provisions

The policy, Mendez said, remains sufficiently strong without the
alternative education portion of the penalty.

According to school policy, the first substance abuse possession or
use offense calls for an immediate 10-day suspension. The policy for
alcohol and drugs also carries with it an academic penalty. Students
must make up what they miss but can, at most, receive a grade of 69
on assignments.

The penalty also includes social restrictions. Offenders cannot
participate in school activities for 30 days after the suspension.

School officials report the infraction to law enforcement, and the
students must participate in a substance-abuse prevention program.

A second offense draws a suspension and recommendation for expulsion.

Altered Behavior

The policy change governs drugs and alcohol, although some board
members expressed interest in separating penalties for them. Tobacco
use, also against the rules and illegal for minors, is treated
differently and less severely. Offenders only draw school suspensions
for using tobacco.

Board member Greg Coffman opposed treating alcohol and drugs
differently. "It would send a mixed signal to the public for us to do
any separation when we are talking about teenagers," he said.

However, Coffman supported tobacco's different status. "Tobacco
doesn't do something that is going to alter your behavior or impair
your reflexes," he said.

Board member Kerri Wilson said the differences between alcohol and
drugs suggested they could be separated.

"If someone has a first offense with alcohol use and someone else has
a first offense with heroin use, and they are treated the same, I
take issue with that.... One is clearly more harmful than the other," she said.

Other Adjustments

Board member Tim Lacey said more work needs to be done to adjust the
penalty for tobacco, which is not as severe as a student forgetting
their identification or wearing offensive clothing.

He urged the school board to consider increasing the penalty for
tobacco use. Currently, offenders get a suspension on one, three and
five days for subsequent violations of the policy. Lacey suggested
changing that to three, five, and 10 days.