What Works: Schools Without Drugs Part 5

Inform the community, in nontechnical language, of the results of the school's a.s.sessment of the drug problem.

Anne Arundel County School District, Annapolis, Maryland

In response to evidence of a serious drug problem in 1979-80, the school district of Anne Arundel County implemented a strict new policy covering both elementary and secondary students. It features notification of police, involvement of parents, and use of alternative education programs for offenders. School officials take the following steps when students are found using or possessing drugs:

The school notifies the police, calls the parents, and suspends students for 1 to 5 school days.

The special a.s.sistant to the superintendent meets with the students and parents. In order to return to school, students must state where and how they obtained the drugs. The students must also agree either to partic.i.p.ate in the district's Alternative Drug Program at night, while attending school during the day, or to enroll in the district's Learning Center (grades 7-8) or evening high school (grades 9-12). Students, accompanied by their parents, must also take at least 5 hours of counseling. Parents are also required to sign a Drug/Alcohol Reinstatement Form.

If students fail to complete the Alternative Drug Program, they are transferred to the Learning Center or to evening high school.

Students are expelled if caught using or possessing drugs a second time.

Distribution and sale of drugs are also grounds for expulsion, and a student expelled for these offenses is ineligible to partic.i.p.ate in the Alternative Drug Program.

As a result of these steps, the number of drug offenses has declined by 58 percent, from 507 in 1979-80 to 211 in 1984-85.

Schools

Setting Policy

_Recommendation #5_:

Establish clear and specific rules regarding drug use that include strong corrective actions.

School policies should clearly establish that drug use, possession, and sale on the school grounds and at school functions will not be tolerated. These policies should apply to both students and school personnel, and may include prevention, intervention, treatment, and disciplinary measures.

School policies should:

Specify what const.i.tutes a drug offense by defining (1) illegal substances and paraphernalia, (2) the area of the school's jurisdiction, for example, the school property, its surroundings, and all school-related events, such as proms and football games, and (3) the types of violations (drug possession, use, and sale).

State the consequences for violating school policy; as appropriate, punitive action should be linked with treatment and counseling.

Measures that schools have found effective in dealing with first-time offenders include:

--a required meeting of parents and the student with school officials, concluding with a contract signed by the student and parents in which (1) they acknowledge a drug problem, (2) the student agrees not to use drugs, and to partic.i.p.ate in drug counseling or a rehabilitation program.

--suspension, a.s.signment to an alternative school, in-school suspension, after-school or Sat.u.r.day detention with close supervision and demanding academic a.s.signments.

--referral to a drug treatment expert or counselor.

--notification of police.

Penalties for repeat offenders and for sellers may include expulsion, legal action, and referral for treatment.

Describe procedures for handling violations, including:

--legal issues a.s.sociated with disciplinary actions--confidentiality, due process, and search and seizure--and how they apply.

--responsibilities and procedures for reporting suspected incidents that identify the proper authorities to be contacted and the circ.u.mstances under which incidents should be reported.

--procedures for notifying parents when their child is suspected of or caught with drugs.

--procedures for notifying police.

Enlist legal counsel to ensure that the policy is drafted in compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws.

Build community support for the policy. Hold open meetings where views can be aired and differences resolved.

Eastside High School, Paterson, New Jersey

Eastside High School is located in an inner-city neighborhood and enrolls 3,200 students. Before 1982, drug dealing was rampant.

Intruders had easy access to the school and sold drugs on the school premises. Drugs were used in school stairwells and bathrooms. Gangs armed with razors and knives roamed the hallways.

A new princ.i.p.al, Joe Clark, was instrumental in ridding the school of drugs and violence. Hired in 1982, Clark established order, enlisted the help of police officers in drug prevention education, and raised academic standards. Among the actions he took were:

Establis.h.i.+ng and enforcing strict penalties for breaking the discipline code. In reference to drugs, he stated emphatically, "If you're smoking or dealing, you're out." He acted on his warning, removing 300 students from the roll in his first year for discipline and drug-related violations.

Increasing the involvement of local police officers, known as the "Brothers in Blue," who visited the school regularly to speak to students about the importance of resisting drugs.

Raising academic standards and morale by emphasizing the importance of doing well, requiring a "C" average for partic.i.p.ation in athletics, and honoring student achievements.

As a result of actions such as these, Eastside has been transformed.

Today there is no evidence of drug use in the school. Intruders no longer have access to the school; hallways and stairwells are safe.

Academic performance has improved substantially: in 1981-82, only 56 percent of the 9th graders pa.s.sed the State's basic skills test in math; in 1984-85, 91 percent pa.s.sed. In reading, the percentage of 9th graders pa.s.sing the State basic skills test rose from 40 percent in 1981-82 to 67 percent in 1984-85.

Schools

Enforcing Policy

_Recommendation #6_:

Enforce established policies against drug use fairly and consistently.

Implement security measures to eliminate drugs on school premises and at school functions.

Ensure that everyone understands the policy and the procedures that will be followed in case of infractions. Make copies of the school policy available to all parents, teachers, and students, and take other steps to publicize the policy.

Impose strict security measures to bar access to intruders and prohibit student drug trafficking. Enforcement policies should correspond to the severity of the school's drug problem. For example:

Officials can require students to carry hall pa.s.ses, supervise school grounds and hallways, and secure a.s.sistance of law enforcement officials, particularly to help monitor areas around the schools.

For a severe drug problem, officials can use security personnel to monitor closely school areas where drug sale and use are known to occur; issue mandatory identification badges for school staff and students; request the a.s.sistance of local police to help stop drug dealing; and, depending on applicable law, develop a policy that permits periodic searches of student lockers.

Review enforcement practices regularly to ensure that penalties are uniformly and fairly applied.