Pubdate: Sun, 16 Jan 2005
Source: Aberdeen American News (SD)
Copyright: 2005 Aberdeen American News
Contact:  http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/americannews
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1484
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG PENALTY TOO SEVERE FOR STUDENTS

A majority of lawmakers in Pierre favor reducing the penalties for
students caught with drugs.

We agree. The current penalty, which bans students from sports and
other extracurricular activities for one year, is counterproductive
and could lead the student in question into further trouble.

The Criminal Code Revision Commission, according to The Associated
Press, has recommended reducing that one-year suspension to 60 days -
if the student completes counseling or treatment.

While drugs in the hands of students are a huge concern - and
something that should not be taken lightly - getting the student
treatment and counselling is the most important part of the solution.
Barring that student from extracurricular activities is just handing
him or her more free time to get into trouble. And bear in mind that
sports are the antidote to unhealthy living.

High school students are still developing into adults and have not yet
reached full maturity. They deserve a second chance, which the CCRC's
recommendation amounts to. It's a second chance with some solid advice
about why they made a wrong decision taking drugs in the first place.
The plan should, perhaps, also give local school districts some
discretion when it comes to dealing with such issues. Each case, after
all, is different and some kids may just have been in the wrong place
at the wrong time with the wrong people.

According to an AP survey, 56 percent of responding lawmakers said
they would support a proposal reducing the punishment. While some
previous attempts at reform have stalled, this year may be different.

Now, if the student is caught a second time, the punishment should
certainly be more severe. But let's try to help such troubled students
first.

Baseball's Steroid Delusion

OK, OK, so on second thought perhaps Congress should become involved
in the blossoming steroid scandal in baseball.

Just last month we voiced our frustration with what we viewed as
continuing Congressional overreach after Sen. John McCain announced
his deep concern with the use of steroids by baseballers. Stay out of
it, we urged. Let baseball clean up its own mess.

Well, baseball just issued its "strict" new steroid policy. Bring in
Congress, we say now.

This opinion by no means contradicts the above editorial. Baseball
players are multimillionaire adults who are trying to boost their
athletic performance - and their paychecks - by trying to get an
unsportsmanlike edge. They are not only endangering their bodies, they
are cheating the fans in what is, after all, just entertainment. Kids
taking drugs need to be included in society and all its safety nets,
not booted out onto the streets to deal with their mistakes on their
own.

Not only are some substances, like amphetamines, not on the list of
baseball's banned substances, but the initial repercussions for
violations of the policy amount to nothing more than a slap on the
wrist.

While testing will be expanded, first time offenders face only a
10-day suspension; a second offense warrants 30 days of suspension and
three strikes will get offenders a 60-day ban. Oh, and they will be
publicly identified now.

Ten days in a 162-game baseball season is nothing.

Look at what happens to Olympians, who face a two-year ban on a repeat
offense, and you'll see a policy that will really make an athlete
wonder whether to risk getting away with cheating. These rules are not
strict enough to nip what has become widespread abuse in the bud.

So, come back, Sen. McCain, all is forgiven.
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MAP posted-by: Derek