Pubdate: Tue, 30 May 2006 Source: Rockford Register Star (IL) Copyright: 2006 Rockford Register Star Contact: http://www.rrstar.com/ezaccess/contactus/lettertotheeditor.shtml Website: http://www.rrstar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/370 Author: Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) OFFICIALS PROPOSE TWEAK TO DISTRICT DRUG POLICY A proposed tweak of the Rockford School District discipline code would adjust the district's drug and alcohol policy while giving school officials more leeway to determine the extent of student punishment. A year after the district adopted a new comprehensive discipline policy, administrators are asking the School Board to approve a set of mostly minor changes. Superintendent Dennis Thompson said he hopes this is the only tweak of the discipline code for a few years so it has time to effectively reduce student disciplinary issues. Thompson championed the new system as a way to bring consistency between schools and improve discipline to the School District. "As a general rule, we are trying to make sure administrators understand they have leeway and options to fully weigh the individual and the circumstances," Thompson said. If approved by the Rockford School Board next month, the most significant changes would break up a blanket drug and alcohol policy into three separate infractions. Under the proposed amendment, selling drugs would be considered a separate offense from simply possessing drugs or alcohol. Board President Nancy Kalchbrenner said it recognizes that selling drugs should be subject to more severe punishment than possession. "They are both bad, but we felt a different punishment was needed for selling," Kalchbrenner said. And students busted for bringing small amounts of marijuana to school - -- which Thompson said is the most common reason for expulsion in Rockford's public schools -- could be given the opportunity to seek help in exchange for a reduced punishment on a first offense. The standard 10-day suspension is reduced to five days if the student undergoes a drug assessment by an approved agency under the recommendation. Board member Robert Evans said the change offers some students the chance for rehabilitation instead of automatic suspension and possible expulsion. "The overall goal is to keep them in school," Evans said. "We want to keep them and give them an incentive to stay in school where we can do more for them." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake