Pubdate: Thu, 22 Mar 2007
Source: Burlington County Times (NJ)
Copyright: 2007 Calkins Newspapers. Inc.
Contact: http://www.phillyburbs.com/feedback/content-bct.shtml
Website: http://www.phillyburbs.com/burlingtoncountytimes/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2128
Author: Todd McHale
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

MOORESTOWN SCHOOL BOARD UPDATES DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY

MOORESTOWN -- The township Board of Education has adopted an updated 
and tougher drug and alcohol policy that could punish students for 
illegal activities on and off campus.

In a 7-2 vote, the school board agreed to a number of revisions to 
the school district's drug and alcohol policy during its meeting Tuesday night.

"We've always had a policy, but (the previous) policy was due to be 
updated," board President Don Mishler said. "Our old policy was just 
too cumbersome for administrators to administer."

Mishler said two drug-related incidents since December, including one 
on Monday, reinforced the board's decision to update the policy but 
were not the reasons for the revisions.

"We've been working on this update for two years. (The latest 
incidents) drove home the need for a more clear policy," Mishler said.

The updated policy includes a broader list of prohibited substances, 
such as all alcoholic beverages, anabolic steroids and inhalants.

Prescription and over-the-counter medicines, including cough syrups 
and diet pills, would be regulated, meaning students would be 
required to register all medications with the school nurse.

Punishment for first-time offenders would be a 10-day suspension and 
would require intervention, which could include counseling and up to 
a year of random drug testing. Alcohol offenses would be treated in 
the same manner as drug offenses.

Under the old policy, offenders typically faced a five-day suspension

The updated policy also would prohibit offenders from participating 
in all extracurricular activities for 45 days.

"While the exclusion from all extracurricular activities is 
significant, it's clearly meant to be a deterrent," Mishler said.

Students charged with distribution of drugs would face a school board 
hearing and possible expulsion.

In addition, the policy now covers some behavior of students during 
off-campus activities.

Mishler said any illegal alcohol or drug activity that generates a 
police report would be subject to enforcement if administrators deem 
it to be hazardous to students at the school.

"Getting caught drinking alcohol at the shore over the summer 
probably wouldn't fall under being hazardous to the school, but being 
involved in an alcohol-related accident that killed someone the last 
day of summer probably would," Mishler said.

Board members Richard Kaye and A.J. Kreimer cast the only votes 
against the new policy.

Neither could be reached for comment yesterday afternoon, but Mishler 
said both had expressed concerns about the policy being too 
over-reaching in the areas covering off-campus activities.

Tuesday's board decision came just one day after the high school went 
through a two-hour lockdown. School officials found what appeared to 
be drug-related materials, a list of possible drug customers' names, 
a list of weapons and diagrams of certain offices in the school while 
searching the backpack of one of two students involved in a fight.

Police charged that student, a 16-year-old sophomore, with 
terroristic threats. The second student, a 17-year-old junior, was suspended.

In December, four high school students were arrested at school and 
charged with possession of "a significant amount of cocaine, 
amphetamines, diet pills, marijuana and prescription medication for 
purposes other then their intended uses," according to police.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman