Pubdate: Fri, 28 Jun 2002
Source: Daily Breeze (CA)
Copyright: 2002 The Copley Press Inc.
Contact:  http://www.dailybreeze.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/881
Author: Renee Moilanen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

MIRA COSTA HIGH REVAMPS DRUG POLICY

After an unprecedented number of drug and alcohol offenses this year, Mira 
Costa High School plans to crack down on student violators by banning them 
from extracurricular activities, putting them in counseling and possibly 
subjecting them to random drug tests.

The proposal - part of a comprehensive overhaul of the school's 
disciplinary system - is slated to come before the Manhattan Beach Board of 
Education for discussion on July 17. The proposed policies are undergoing 
legal review.

Topping the list of recommendations is a two-pronged approach for dealing 
with first-time drug offenders, which has been a nagging problem at the 
Manhattan Beach high school. In the past year, there have been nearly 50 
suspensions for drug and alcohol offenses, 17 in one month - a school 
record, officials say.

Under the proposal, students caught on campus with drugs or alcohol could 
choose one of two options:

A five-day suspension, ban on all extracurricular activities for a year 
after the date of violation and counseling sessions outside school hours 
with the student's parents.

Or, counseling sessions outside school hours with the student's parents and 
a ban on extracurricular activities until a drug test comes back clean. The 
drug tests would be conducted randomly.

Currently, a student caught with drugs or alcohol is suspended and placed 
into counseling for a first offense. A second violation results in 
expulsion. Police are notified in every instance.

"For some reason, it hasn't had an impact," board member Tracey Windes 
said. "That's why (Principal Lynn McCormack) is coming up with a policy 
that has a little more teeth in it with the consequences."

The district is trying to determine if random drug testing in such a 
circumstance is legal. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld mandatory random 
drug testing of school athletes and is expected to rule this summer on 
whether schools can require all students in extracurricular activities to 
take drug tests.

District officials hope to avoid legal problems because of the voluntary 
nature of the proposed drug tests. "It does give a choice for the student 
one way or the other," Superintendent Jerry Davis said.

But if lawyers advise Manhattan Beach not to pursue drug-testing, school 
officials will come up with other options, Davis said. Either way, the 
school plans to proceed with the first option in the coming school year.

Also, the district is considering stiffer penalties for seniors who skip 
classes in their last year, costing the school much-needed revenue. 
McCormack has proposed a policy in which students absent 15 or more class 
periods would not be able to participate in senior activities, including 
graduation.

Again, the district is conducting a legal review of the proposal.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom