Pubdate: Sun, 05 May 2002
Source: Decatur Daily (AL)
Copyright: 2002 The Decatur Daily
Contact:  http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/696
Author: Clyde L. Stancil
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

MAN SAYS SON SUSPENDED FROM LAWRENCE COUNTY FOR NOT JOINING DRUG STING

MOULTON -- The father of a Lawrence County High School student said the 
school's principal suspended his son because he refused to participate in a 
Drug Task Force sting.

Officials are mum about the issue because the student is a 17-year-old 
juvenile. Principal Ricky Nichols did say that it is "a very good 
possibility" that he found what he thinks is marijuana in a student's vehicle.

Jim McAbee, chief of the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, said his agents 
questioned students at the school last week.

He said the questioning is in connection with an ongoing operation at the 
school.

Dwaine Loosier, the parent who is making the accusation, said school system 
administrators assigned his son to the system's alternative school Friday 
morning.

"The principal said someone had written a statement that said my son was 
involved in drug activity," he said. "He never showed us the statement." 
Loosier said Nichols claims to have found a marijuana seed in his son's 
vehicle.

Law enforcement officers have not sent the seed to the state's forensic 
laboratory, but school administrators can act without test results if they 
suspect a substance is an illegal drug.

Loosier said Nichols is retaliating against his son for defying a ban on 
rebel-flag clothing items.

The drug operation that McAbeereferred to began in March, when a Drug Task 
Force agent posed as a student for six weeks at Lawrence County High 
School. The operation culminated in the arrests of four students. Three of 
the arrests resulted in illegal substance charges; the other was for 
possessing fake identification.

Loosier's son, Jason Loosier, said a female student was caught selling 
pills recently.
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