Pubdate: Thu, 08 Aug 2002 Source: Pensacola News Journal (FL) Copyright: 2002 The Pensacola News Journal Contact: http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1675 SCHOOL DRUG CASE SHOWS NEED TO CHANGE CONTRACT There's no reason to criticize Circuit Judge Nickolas Geeker for his ruling that the Escambia County School Board must rehire a teacher who was fired for testing positive for cocaine on the job. A judge's job is to follow the law, and that appears to be just what Geeker did. If the situation is to be changed, it must come in the contract negotiated between the School District and the teachers' union. The current contract calls for all discipline to be progressive. While that makes sense for lesser problems, it doesn't seem to make any distinction for dealing with serious offenses. And certainly a teacher showing up for school high on cocaine is a serious offense. Many private businesses have benefits packages that provide treatment for employees with drug or alcohol problems. They prefer to salvage employees through treatment - if possible - rather than simply wash their hands of them. If a presumably valuable employee can be saved, both personally and professionally, it makes sense to do so. People do what they do for a lot of reasons, and often it is a cry for help. That doesn't excuse the behavior, but many people who abuse alcohol or drugs can be salvaged. But such programs also can depend on whether the person asks for help, instead of being caught. Certainly the district should not have its hands so tied that it can't deal more strongly with a teacher caught high on hard drugs at school. - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)