Pubdate: Sun, 29 Jun 2003
Source: Bristol Herald Courier (VA)
Copyright: 2003 Bristol Herald Courier
Contact: http://www.bristolnews.com/contact.html
Website: http://www.bristolnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1211
Author: Diette Courrege

BRISTOL VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD HEARS STUDENTS' IDEAS ON DRUG, ALCOHOL PLAN

BRISTOL, Va. -- Two Virginia High School student leaders said Saturday they 
support harsh punishments for classmates caught with drugs or alcohol. The 
students came to the city School Board's annual retreat to offer their 
ideas and suggestions on what a proposed comprehensive drug and alcohol 
plan should look like. "There have been some kids who have come to school 
drunk, but the teachers didn't catch it because they didn't know about it," 
said Shelley Weaver, a VHS junior and Student Council Association member. 
"I guess the teachers didn't think that people actually do that." The 
School Board assumed the task several years ago of developing a 
comprehensive plan to deal with drugs and alcohol.

The plan includes policies in areas such as prevention, enforcement, 
treatment, referral and testing. "The subject we're most busy with at 
present is the comprehensive drug and alcohol plan," said John Kieffer, 
School Board chair. "We want to develop it into a good and working system, 
and we made progress with that today." Students said they were in favor of 
severe penalties for athletes, such as being kicked off their teams, if 
they were caught with drugs or alcohol. "If we did that, we wouldn't have 
much of a football team or basketball team," said Andrew Carico, student 
body president. "It's sad but it's true. I think we should do that, but it 
would make VHS athletics low-scale." Carico said he wanted a student-led 
effort to change the amount of drinking and experimenting that goes on in 
high school. "There's more people unhappy with it than you would think," he 
said. "I know I'm not one of those kids who does these things, but I would 
like to see a change." Carico suggested more planned activities such as 
concerts or dances after Friday night football games. Board members 
emphasized their support in finding a solution to the drug and alcohol 
problem, adding that parental involvement is of utmost importance. "There's 
a problem in the community, and it comes into the school," said board 
member Randy White. "We want to help these students get rid of this 
problem." It was the first time students have come to the board offering 
their ideas on this issue, said board member Butch Tolley. The Student 
Assistance Program, a plan addressing mental health, substance abuse and 
emotional issues, also became a part of the comprehensive drug and alcohol 
plan's final draft. Highlands Community Services representatives explained 
how the program brings an outside counselor into schools to help students 
deal with factors affecting their scholastic performance. "(This plan) 
gives us a channel to make sure students are getting the help they need," 
Kieffer said. Washington County schools have used the program since 1988, 
and board member White said it receives an overwhelmingly positive response 
from students and faculty there. "It's amazing how supportive the teachers 
are now," he said. "This is totally different from having a guidance 
counselor." The voluntary program works through educators, family or 
community agencies referring students to the SAP counselor and then 
confidentially working to resolve students' issues. Kieffer said he is 
working on the final draft of the plan and hopes to present it to the board 
by the middle of July. In other business, the board delayed approval of the 
2003-04 school budget because of technical accounting questions needing to 
be answered by City Council. The budget will come before the board at its 
July 7 meeting. The board also addressed a myriad of other issues, such as 
its 2002-03 goals, its 2003-04 goals and its annual school division report.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom