Pubdate: Sat, 20 Nov 2004
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2004 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author:  Karen Rouse, Denver Post Staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG-SUSPECT LIST ANGERS STUDENTS

Jeffco Teachers Asked Kids For Names Of Peers Who Might Be Users

Jefferson County - Students at Jefferson County Open School have asked
district officials to investigate why they were "forced to rat out
friends" suspected of using drugs.

Jelena  16, and Lily , 14, both students at the
Lakewood-based alternative school, told the Jefferson County school
board Thursday night that teachers overreacted to fears of drug use in
the middle school by asking students to begin making lists of people
who might be using drugs.

The students say they now fear that classmates who were
inappropriately named could be punished or that the district could be
sued by parents of students whose names appear on a list of possible
drug users.

"There's a lot of power in suggestion," Woehr said. "If they say, 'Try
and think of someone who is doing drugs' ... there is pressure to
think of someone."

The students also said that two female students who believed their
names were on a master list of suspected drug users were later
suspended for going into a teacher's office, opening a file on the
teacher's desk and using their cellphone cameras to take pictures of
the list.

District officials confirmed Friday that they are investigating the
incident and that there were two students suspended.

What happened is still unclear, said Casey Mahon, district spokesman.

"It sounded like it was a classroom project, and it sounds like it got
twisted around," he said.

The students said teachers became suspicious this month after noticing
several groups of students congregating in the hallways and
whispering. The teachers were concerned because there had been
problems with drugs last year, Bezuidenhot said.

Officials at the school did not return a phone call for comment.

Mahon said there was one suspension and three expulsions for
drug-related offenses last year.

So far this year, there have been two drug-related suspensions and no
expulsions, he said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek