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DISTRICT APPROVES NEW POLICY ON DRUGS

Tonganoxie school board members Monday night approved a substance abuse policy that gives athletes and other students participating in other extracurricular activities more control over their own medication needs.  The policy also gives school administrators the authority to decide individual punishment for participants who are in possession of or using alcohol, tobacco or controlled substances.

With the new policy, athletes and others participating in extracurricular activities will be allowed to have with them prescription and non-prescription medications, as long as they do not misuse the products.

The district's former policy called for these items to be kept by the coach or group sponsor, who would dispense the medications to the student when needed.  Board members agreed last month that that policy placed a heavy liability on the school district.

Monday night, Brent Smith, assistant principal, said he had since been working on a revised policy with Kansas Association of School Boards attorney Donna Whiteman.

"She said don't get detailed about the wording - the inhalers, the Tylenol or anything else," Smith said.

The policy also addresses more serious issues, such as alcohol, tobacco and controlled substances.

Smith said White suggested that rather than having penalties be stated in advance, punishment for violators should be decided by administrators.

"What's the difference between someone taking a drink of beer or someone having a pound of cocaine?" Smith said.

By leaving penalties up to school administrators, the punishment can be tailored to the offense.

"If it's a severe case it could be they're suspended for the rest of the year," Smith said.  "You don't want to put yourself in the position where you have a really bad case and they're suspended for two weeks because that's the first step."

Board member Rick Lamb said he approved of the suggested revisions.

"I like the way it's worded," Lamb said.  "I think it's great."

Board members approved the policy by a 4-0 vote.  Board members Darlyn Hansen and Phil Weide were absent from the meeting.