Pubdate: Fri, 12 Apr 2002
Source: Hendersonville Times-News (NC)
Copyright: 2002 Hendersonville Newspaper Corporation
Contact:  http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/793
Author: Patricia Lynch Kimbro
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

HHS STUDENT SUSPENDED FOR HAVING DRUGS ON CAMPUS

A Hendersonville High School junior was suspended from school on 
Friday after rolling papers, a measuring scale and marijuana were 
found in his possession. The school resource officer, Sumner County 
Sheriff's Deputy Michael Hudson, was called in to assist school 
personnel in the search of two students, after they were caught being 
outside, ditching a class. Both students "smelled of smoke,'' 
according to court records. And when the 17-year-old male was 
searched, police found rolling papers in his pocket and a measuring 
scale in his socks. A search of his car yielded 46.8 grams of leafy 
green substance that later tested positive for marijuana.

A juvenile petition was granted against the youth for possession of a 
schedule VI drug for resale and drug paraphernalia. A hearing is 
expected to be set in Sumner County Juvenile Court. Meanwhile, he'll 
also have to face school officials by appearing before the 
Displicinary Hearing Authority of the Sumner County Board of 
Education, where he could face expulsion for one calendar year or be 
sent to the R.T. Fisher Alternative School to complete his education, 
said Grace Oliver, supervisor of attendance, and chairwoman of the 
hearing board. "It depends on each individual case, how it is 
handled,'' Oliver said. This is the fourth student, out of 1,700 at 
Hendersonville High School, to be found with marijuana in the past 
three months, according to Principal Paul Decker. While Decker said 
he does not feel there is a major drug problem at the school, "one 
case, is a lot,'' he said. "We're trying to keep a watch on it. Other 
students are a big help. They don't want it (drugs) in the school, 
anymore than we do,'' the principal said. So far this school year, 85 
out of the county's 23,000 students have been sent to the 
disciplinary board, Oliver said. "We're not any different than any 
other county.

We do have several cases each year of violation of the drug policy, 
which could be either marijuana or prescription pills," Oliver said. 
So far, the system hasn't caught any students with crack cocaine or 
any of the designer drugs such as Esctasy. The zero tolerance to 
drugs includes not only illegal, but prescription drugs. "Any student 
that takes aspirin, Tylenol, prescription or any over-the-county drug 
must take it to the office to be dispensed.

The student must also show written permission for it to be 
dispensed,'' Oliver added. "We really don't have bad kids in Sumner 
County. Our kids are good, we just have some, who sometimes make poor 
decisions,'' she said.
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