Pubdate: Fri, 11 May 2007
Source: Mississippi Press, The (MS)
Copyright: 2007 Mississippi Press
Contact:  http://www.gulflive.com/mississippipress/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2254
Author: Veto F. Roley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

OS SCHOOLS TO CONSIDER NEW POLICY FOR DRUG OFFENDERS

OCEAN SPRINGS - Local school board members want to  give
administrators some leeway in disciplining  first-time drug offenders
caught with small amounts of  drugs.

The board held a first reading of a new policy that  will allow
administrators to send students who have  violated the drug policy to
the alternative school for  a period of 18 weeks to 36 weeks.

A proposed policy has to undergo at least two readings  before it can
be made official policy of the school  board.

Under the current zero-tolerance policy, any students  violating the
drug policy are sent to the alternative  school for one year. Students
can petition for a  reduction, but must spend 85 percent of the school
year  at the alternative school.

Superintendent Robert Hirsch said alternative school  has a negative
connotation for students. He said  students and their families are
shame when a student is  sent to the alternative school, and the
current policy  is too harsh for first-time offenders with small
amounts of drugs.

Hirsch said he surveyed nearby districts and found that  they had
terms in the alternative school as short as 45  days for first-time
drug offenders.

"We need to be more flexible," Hirsch said. "The  administrators are
telling me they need a policy as  soon as possible to create
flexibility."

Board member John Brenke asked if the more lenient  policies toward
first-time offenders in those school  districts helped lessen the
violations or created more  violators.

Hirsch said he did not know, but could find the answers  in time for
the second reading of the policy change on  June 11.
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MAP posted-by: Derek