Pubdate: Tue, 10 Feb 2004
Source: Burlington Times-News (NC)
Contact:  2004 The Times-News Publishing Company
Website: http://www.thetimesnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1822
Author: Mike Wilder
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

BOARD TALKS ABOUT ARRESTS

Alamance-Burlington school system leaders are moving fast to arrange for 
drug treatment and alternative education for students arrested last week in 
a system-wide drug operation. Superintendent Jim Merrill announced at a 
school board meeting Monday night the schools will be contacting parents of 
eligible students as early as Wednesday. Fifty students were arrested last 
Wednesday following a five-month undercover drug operation in the system's 
six high schools. Merrill said in a press conference that morning the 
system would allow some of the students to enroll in an alternative 
education program following their suspension from the school they were 
attending. Students with prior drug offenses in the school system or who 
were already in an alternative program will not be eligible, he said. 
Parents of students who qualify will be required to make an appointment for 
assessment and treatment at the Alamance-Caswell Mental Health, 
Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Authority. The appointment 
is required for them to be able to enroll Monday in the alternative 
educational program. The program will take place at the school system's 
facility on Ray Street in Graham, and will be an extension of the 
alternative classes taught at Sellars-Gunn Educational Center. Merrill said 
registration will be Monday night. Classes will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. 
each Monday through Thursday through a combination of online instruction 
and on-site teachers. Instruction will go on into the summer, he said, 
depending on how quickly students learn. Students who are seniors will earn 
their high school diplomas there and will be graduates of Sellars-Gunn, 
rather than the school they were attending. "We are moving quickly," 
Merrill said. "I think our families will appreciate this." The drug 
treatment program will require participation of both students and parents, 
with the treatment totaling about 12 hours. Merrill said the system will be 
encouraging further treatment as students return for the 2004-05 school 
year. School board chairman Tom Lambeth said board members were supportive 
of Merrill, who approached area law enforcement agencies last year about 
starting an undercover operation. Lambeth thanked Merrill for "not being 
afraid to be bold when necessary. "It was obvious to all of us last 
Wednesday that you were as heartbroken by this as we are," he said. "It's 
extremely sad that it's necessary."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom