Pubdate: Tue, 27 Nov 2001
Source: Sanford Herald, The (NC)
Copyright: The Sanford Herald 2001
Contact:  http://www.sanfordherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1577
Author: Sara Griffitt

DRUGS, ALCOHOL SAID NOT BIG PROBLEM

SANFORD - Recent surveys of students, parents and staff show that the 
majority feel that drugs and alcohol are not a problem in Lee County 
schools, although that percentage increases as the age of the students in 
question increases.

The survey was completed by the Lee County schools main office.

More than 90 percent of elementary school students said that they do not 
have any friends who use alcohol or drugs. Among middle and high schoolers, 
that percentage dropped to about 44 percent when asked about alcohol, and 
14 percent said that a lot of the people they hang around with drink a lot 
of alcohol. However, 86 percent of those students said that alcohol abuse 
is not a major problem at their school.

More than 90 percent of teachers countywide said that alcohol is not a 
major problem at their school. Most teachers who think alcohol is a major 
problem teach at the high school, where about 30 percent felt that alcohol 
is a major problem and 20 percent feel that a lot of their students drink 
alcohol and 59 percent feel that "a fair amount" do.

When questioned about drug use, at each middle school, more than 70 percent 
said that they did not know anyone who uses drugs, but among students at 
Lee County High School, that percentage dropped to 29 percent. Almost 40 
percent of the county's high schoolers said that a lot of the people they 
know use drugs.

Among teachers, 87 percent countywide said that drugs aren't a major 
problem at their school. Most respondents who said drugs are a problem were 
teachers at the high school. There, 45 percent of teachers said drugs are a 
major problem.

In most elementary schools and at Floyd L. Knight, most teachers do not 
believe any students use drugs. In the two middle schools, about 65 percent 
believe that some students do, and at the high school, about 87 percent of 
teachers believe that a few to a fair amount of students use drugs at some 
times.

Most students in middle or high school - 62 percent - believe that it would 
be easy or very easy for a student at their school to obtain illegal drugs 
in school. At the two middle schools, about 45 percent of students believed 
that getting drugs would be easy.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart