Get Active Subscribe Support Us

SCHOOLS STILL NEED AND ANSWER TO DRUG TESTING DILEMNA

Dear Editor, It appears to be a universal principle that the purpose of any county school system is to provide an education to all the children within the county.  Further, it seems that most school systems have adopted the practice of maintaining a drug-free environment.

The easiest way to do this is to suspend or expel any student using or possessing illicit drugs or alcohol while on school property or while involved in school activities.  However, in doing this, a school system ceases to educate its substance-abusing children.

Camden County school administrators have shown determination and innovation in their recent proposal to address substance abuse among their students.  It is a treatment approach that also provides consequences to those students involved with alcohol and drugs while continuing to educate them.

The proposal seems to say: ( 1 ) We want to fulfill our dual commitments to educating our students and maintaining drug-free schools; ( 2 ) We recognize the need for treatment in addressing the very complex problem of substance abuse; ( 3 ) We recognize that a major factor in addressing substance abuse is to provide appropriate consequences for those who fail to engage in the treatment process; ( 4 ) When we address any student issue, it is most effective when we include the parents; ( 5 ) In suspending or expelling substance-abusing students, we only move the problem from the school to the community where solutions are limited and tend to focus on criminality.

I worked in the criminal justice system in two states for 26 years.  I was employed in juvenile court both as a clinician and in probation.  The primary factor in all cases ( delinquencies, status offenses and dependencies ) was substance abuse.  However, the very nature of the court system limits its capacity to fully address this problem.

The Camden County school administrators are to be commended for their efforts in proposing a comprehensive program to address the serious and complex problem of adolescent substance abuse -- and still fulfill their primary obligation to educate all their students.

Susan E.  Kenyon

St.  Marys