MAHOMET -- School officials are examining their medication policies and drug-education efforts after more than a dozen students were expelled from Mahomet-Seymour High School in the past two weeks.

The students -- 11 freshmen, two sophomores, three juniors and one senior - -- were expelled for the sale, distribution, and/or possession of prescription drugs. Sixteen of those students were caught with some combination of Ritalin, usually given to children with attention deficit disorder, and OxyContin and hydrocodone, both addictive painkillers. The 17th student was caught with marijuana, but school officials said that incident was unrelated to the others.

[continues 861 words]