Pubdate: Sun, 01 Apr 2007
Source: Norwalk Reflector (OH)
Copyright: 2007 Norwalk Reflector
Contact:  http://www.norwalkreflector.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4443
Author: Nicholas White

NORWALK REVIEWING DRUG-TESTING INFORMATION WEDNESDAY

Since 2000, 37 Students Have Been Punished for Drug and Alcohol 
Violations at Norwalk High School.

The Norwalk school board currently is considering a  plan to 
implement drug testing for its students. By  law, the only students 
who are subject to drug testing  are those in extracurricular 
activities and those who  drive to school.

The board will meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday to review  drug-testing information.

Through the 2004-05 school year, violations were  relatively stable, 
in only one year were more than  three to five students caught. Then 
2005-06 saw no  violations, followed by a sudden jump to 14 so far this  year.

A majority of the 14 this year are related to two  parties over 
Christmas break. For that reason,  Superintendent Wayne Babcanec 
said, he "wouldn't put a  lot of credence in this one number." Such 
parties could  certainly have gone on in previous years, but been  unreported.

Student athletes and their parents must agree to be  drug and alcohol 
free in order to participate in sports  therefore they can be 
punished if they are caught with  drugs or alcohol even outside of school.

It is usually alcohol among the athletes, Principal Bob  Duncan said. 
Indeed, Jean King, head of the ADAMhs  board, has said that alcohol 
is by far the most  frequently abused substance among teens in general.

That a single report can net many student violations is  not unusual. 
Though reports come from parents, coaches,  and the police most 
frequently, when a student is  called on the carpet, it often results 
in another  student's name coming up. Students are not doing these 
things by themselves, Duncan said.

If an athlete is caught in violation, he or she is  suspended from 
the sports season, said Babcanec.  However, if the student athlete 
agrees to have an  assessment and cooperate with its recommendations, 
the students get half the season back.

If the student in violation is not an athlete, he or  she is 
typically suspended with a recommendation for  expulsion. If that 
student will get an assessment and  fulfill its recommendations, the 
student is generally  allowed to return to school, Babcanec said.

If the student is caught on campus with drugs or  alcohol he or she 
is usually reported to the police as  well. However, Babcanec said, 
if the violation happened  outside of school and was reported by a 
parent, it  probably would not be reported.

School officials are limited in how much they can  police students 
themselves. Though some students are  caught on school property with 
drugs and alcohol, the  majority of violations are out of school.

There are educational efforts through health class, and  drugs and 
alcohol are things that "coaches are  constantly talking about," Duncan said.

In the end, Duncan, a father of four student athletes  at NHS, said, 
"it takes a lot of people to make sure  kids are drug and alcohol 
free . and a lot of that  responsibility falls on parents."

Sidebar

Norwalk High School Drug and Alcohol Violations

Number of Students 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07

Total 4 7 4 3 5 0 14

Athletes 1* 1 1 3 0 0 8

Non-Athletes 3 6 3 0 5 0 6

% who had assessment 100 100 75 100 100 0 100

% who participated in counseling 100 100 75 100 100 0 100

Alcohol related 3 3 2 3 1 0 8

Drug related 1 4 2 0 4 0 6

*Denied participation due to tobacco incident

Notes: In fall 2003, two athletes were investigated for  alcohol 
violations forwarded by the police, they are  not included in this 
report. Also in fall 2002, one  athlete had a second violation of 
alcohol and due to  his senior status could not participate in any 
more  interscholastic sports.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine