Pubdate: Tue, 24 Jun 2003
Source: Daily Press (VA)
Copyright: 2003 The Daily Press
Contact:  http://www.dailypress.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/585
Author: Beverly N. Williams, Daily Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?217 (Drug-Free Zones)

YORK TIGHTENS POLICIES ON DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

YORK -- Beginning next year, York County Schools students risk missing out 
on things like athletics or band practices, the prom and graduation if they 
violate the school district's drug and alcohol policies.

The School Board voted Monday night to add a mandatory penalty to its 
2003-04 Student Handbook/Code of Conduct that calls for students found 
guilty of using drugs or alcohol to lose their extracurricular activities 
privileges for 60 school days. The penalty would be in addition to any 
disciplinary action taken against the student such as detention, parent 
conferences, court referral or suspension.

Because of the possible severe consequences for students, school officials 
plan to spend the summer and the beginning of the school year informing 
parents and students about it.

"We have to give children a reason to say no to abusing school policy," 
said board member Don Felling. "We also need to send a real message to 
parents and students that this kind of behavior is not tolerated in the 
York County school division."

School administration officials recommended a 90-day penalty, but board 
members said 60 days would be harsh punishment enough.

Under the newly adopted policies, the 60-day penalty clock would begin 
ticking the day after the violation occurred, said Superintendent Steven 
Staples. But the punishment would not be imposed, he said, until after the 
student's formal hearing before the School Board and only if the student is 
found guilty.

The 60 days also could carry over from one semester or school year to the 
next, depending on when the violation occurred. Weekends, holidays and 
breaks do not count.

That means if a senior violates the policy in May, he or she might not be 
able to attend graduation ceremonies in June. For other students, such as 
juniors or sophomores, the 60 days would stop at the end of the school year 
and resume when school begins in the fall. That means they'd miss out on 
any extracurricular activities they might be involved in.

While the new policies still gives students a right to appeal their case to 
the board, it also gives the board the authority to impose additional 
punishment like expulsion, if needed.

"If guilt is admitted, though, I suggest that we not hear an appeal that 
just deals with the harshness of the new penalty," Felling said.

School officials cited several reasons for the stricter policies.

"There are two reasons why we're doing this," Felling said. "One is we 
thought it would be appropriate to have a formal policy for the school 
district and the other is that we've seen an increase in the number of 
disciplinary actions for alcohol and drugs."

This past school year, the York County school district had 10 
alcohol-related discipline cases, compared with five last year, school 
officials said.

Another factor is the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which requires 
states to allow students to transfer out of unsafe public schools.

To address that issue, the Virginia Board of Education in April adopted 
criteria for what makes a school unsafe. Under the policy, schools will be 
assigned points for violent crimes and drug dealing on campus during school 
hours or activities. Schools exceeding a point limit, based on enrollment, 
for three consecutive years would be labeled persistently dangerous.

Schools are already required to report crimes to the state Department of 
Education. That data will be used to determine which schools - if any - 
should be branded chronically unsafe.

The No Child Left Behind Act also says students who are victims of violent 
crime at school must be allowed to transfer - a requirement already imposed 
by state law.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jackl