Pubdate: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 Source: Shelby Star, The (NC) Copyright: 2005 The Shelby Star Contact: http://www.shelbystar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1722 Author: Hays Burchfield, Star Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) REPORT SHOWS MORE STUDENTS CAUGHT WITH DRUGS More students in Cleveland County schools are getting caught with drugs, according to a recently released state school violence report and area police reports. The number of incidents in Cleveland County schools involving possession of a controlled substance rose from 34 in the 2003-'04 school year to 51 in 2004-'05. There were 24 police reports involving drugs at middle and high schools last school year. Less than halfway into this school year, there have been 19 such reports as of Dec. 9. Burns High has the highest number of reports involving drugs. As of Dec. 9, Burns Resource Officer Cpl. Robby Barr said he had completed nine reports that involved marijuana or abuse of prescription drugs. There were six reports of drugs at the school in the last academic year, according to Capt. Bobby Steen with the narcotics division of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office. Barr and Burns Principal Brent McSwain are both new to the school this year. They said the increase in reports is not necessarily because there are more drugs at the school but may be because of their more vigilant enforcement of the rules. "We've made a big dent in drug use here at Burns this year," McSwain said. Director of Safe Schools Phil Weathers echoed McSwain's and Barr's comments saying the cause of more crimes on the state's school violence report is because more students are being caught and more incidents are being reported. Changes in the state's school violence report totals can be the result of more thorough reporting and better enforcement of laws, in addition to actual increases in the number of offenses committed on school grounds, according to a N.C. Department of Public Instruction news release cited by Weathers. Weathers is on the agenda for tonight's Cleveland County Board of Education meeting to discuss the report. In a conference call Thursday, Weathers and Cleveland County Schools spokeswoman Donna Carpenter said a report is sent to the state education department in Raleigh every time any controlled substance is found at a school, and law enforcement officers are notified. Mrs. Carpenter said law enforcement officials write reports about the serious incidents but not all of them. That is why the number of incidents involving possession of a controlled substance on the state school violence report is higher than the number of police reports during the same time period. Other County Schools Steen said there were two reports of drugs at Burns Middle last school year, and there have been zero so far this year. There have been three so far this school year at Crest High, with two last school year, Steen said. Crest Middle had two last school year and zero so far this year. Crest High School Resource Officer David Bramlett is also new to his school. He said he has tried to form relationships with people so they'll come forward with information of anything suspicious. "I've been working to build up trust and a good rapport with students, parents, staff and administration," Bramlett said. "I'm trying to be as visible as possible." Shelby High had one incident so far this school year, with zero at Shelby Middle, according to Shelby Police Capt. Mark Brooks. Brooks provided copies of reports showing three drug incidents at Shelby High last school year and one at Shelby Middle on July 10. Shelby High School Resource Officer Sherdala Wheeler said students are her top source for information on criminal activity at the school. "Most of the time, kids tell us things," Mrs. Wheeler said. "We brought the dog in here two times last year searching for drugs, but we haven't done it yet this year." Kings Mountain Police Capt. Jerry Tessneer said copies of reports were not available, but he said there were eight reports of drugs last school year at Kings Mountain high and middle schools, and there have been six so far this school year at the two schools. He said the cases last school year involved prescription drugs and marijuana, and all six this school year have involved marijuana. Kings Mountain High Principal John Yarbro said his administration and the school resource officer are proactive when it comes to fighting teenage drug use. He is also enthused that some students have started the club Students Against Violence Everywhere this year. "Students here sign pledges to be drug free," Yarbro said. "Throughout the year, we maintain a safe and orderly environment and climate that's all about teaching and learning, where students police themselves and know that there are consequences for bad choices, and we'll deal with it and won't look the other way." [sidebar] Number of Acts of Possession of Controlled Substance School 2003-'04 2004-'05 Burns High 14 14 Burns Middle 1 3 Crest High 8 3 Crest Middle 4 7 Kings Mountain High 6 9 Kings Mountain Middle 1 6 Shelby High 0 3 Shelby Middle 0 0 Davidson School 0 2 Kings Mountain Intermediate 0 2 Jefferson Elementary 0 2 Source - North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's 2004-'05 Annual Report on School Violence and Crime www.ncpublicschools.org - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake