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Escambia County Schools To Adopt A Comprehensive Drug Policy
August 5, 2010
Drug abuse is a significant problem in our community and in our schools, and the devastating effects drugs can inflict upon young people are well documented. I believe that a newly proposed District Drug Eradication policy will have a dramatic, immediate impact in Escambia County Florida– and will help thousands of district children if we enact and deploy it properly.
The Escambia County School Board (ECSB) is now developing such a comprehensive drug policy. In budget meetings held over the last several months, the funding for this undertaking was identified. In an ECSB retreat held this past July, where broad policy and overall district direction was the topic, more on the proposed drug policy was discussed. Staff will be researching all of the issues and working closely with local law enforcement and multiple attorneys to craft a policy that will be both legal and effective.
ECSB will be studying what other districts from around the state and the nation have been able to put in place with respect to drug eradication policy. We won’t be attempting to re-invent the wheel; we will be developing a policy that is tried and tested, built upon best practices, then tailored to fit our needs locally.
Although the draft policy will be brought to the board sometime in August or September for review, the broad areas of focus can be identified at this time:
- Student Safety–the onus of this policy will be on student safety and we will not be undertaking this comprehensive strategy for punitive purposes.
- Drug dogs will be deployed in a more frequent, managed, and measured fashion than in previous years. A defined pattern and schedule will be formulated and Drug Detecting Canines will be in our middle and high schools with enhanced frequency.
- Students will actively participate in formulating the district’s anti-drug slogan and advertising program.
- A more robust “campus crime stoppers” program will be rolled out and cash rewards will be given to those who report on peers involved in illegal activity.
- The inclusion of random drug screening/testing is being contemplated. ECSB cannot legally drug test all students (Like Pensacola Catholic High School does); however, we can and should randomly test those who wish to participate in extracurricular activities and/or drive their personal vehicles on our school campuses. Again, overall student safety is the paramount concern.
- Voluntary testing, self reporting, counseling and progressive discipline for those identified in screening/testing will all be factors and components in our final comprehensive strategy.
I’m very happy to see the district moving in this direction. I have been steadfast in my advocacy of this type of a policy in our schools for the last four years. I know that we cannot control societal factors which are changing rapidly around us–but we can and should do everything we can to control the environment in and around our schools. The goal should be to make our schools drug-free sanctuaries for our students. Having a comprehensive strategy will empower students to more easily “Say No” to drugs–on and off campus.
My plea for a more effective drug policy culminated with a call for action at the May 14th, 2010, School Board Workshop. I know we can’t move mountains overnight, but I also know the status quo was/is not working on this issue. Having my finger to the pulse with my own kids represented at the elementary, middle, and high school levels- I know a more comprehensive drug policy is what our schools need today, and we as a district are on the verge of fulfilling this need.
Comments
11 Responses to “Escambia County Schools To Adopt A Comprehensive Drug Policy”
All this will do is force kids to find other ways to do what they want and create new drugs that can not be found in your tests. All you can do is educate and hope for the best. I foresee far more problems with policies like this than any actual results. Not to mention that by creating more rules/regulations/laws you only create more crime. Less rules means less to rebel against. Last I checked, this was America. Land of the free, anyone?
Plain and simple bullcrap! If and when the day does arrive that I as a parent must allow the testing of any one of my 3 sons, for any reason at all, buy the school, school district, or any other affiliate of our public school system I shall encourage every like minded, outraged, parents to also remove their children immediately and enroll in an alternate and less control obsessive school system. Gee wiz guys, has it really reached the point that our kids must now be used as an effortless means for our local under performing law enforcement to eventually make a bust? Here’s a suggestion, if our current high speed, Johnny on the spot, reckless driving staff of law enforcing preachers actually did their jobs far less illegal substances would be available to our kids in the first place!!!!
First off, I dont think the main focus of the drug policy should be uncovering or simply finding the drugs, trust me that is the easy part. The part that seems to be overlooked or simply undefined, is what to do with the people who are in possession of said drugs, be it students, pushers, adults, etc..
If the consequences of a crime are severe enough, it may help to deter kids from committing such a crime.
“hey if I get caught with this bag of pills Ill get tazed for 10 seconds in the chest”
Its all about motivation….
what about God & Prayer, OOO I forgot you can’t do that in school….HHUUUMMM!
I’ve got a drug/alcohol policy for you. Get busted with drugs, you get to work on a chain gang for a month and clean up the state/county. Get busted a 2nd time, 2 months, all this time without pay, with minimal accomidations, such as a Tent City setup. Basic meals, 3 times a day.
3rd strike however, you get the opportunity to do more physical labor, such as helping to build the thousands and thousands of failing bridges and roadways in our state.
Drug abusers/users just have it too easy.
I agree that drug and alcohol use is more prevalent in our schools these days, but drug testing policies are not as easy or cut and dry as most people would think. Unfortunately, all it takes is one person to say they do not want their kids forced to take the test, and that their kids should not be reprimanded or denied rights to participate in certian school activities if they do not comply with testing and the whole idea will be blown. Research Larry vrs. Lockney. One man went against the whole town, school distrcit and went all the way to the Supreme Court because HE did not feel his kids should be forced to drug test. The kids never expressed a problem with it. At least not publically. Unfortunately parents can not or will not stand up and discipline their children. Children are allowed too much freedom, alot of which allows them to get into situations and problems. I was raised with morals and values and good old fashioned discipline and I turned out pretty darn good, if I must say so myself. Yes, there are adults that abuse children, but punish the abuser, don’t take away the ability to punish.. Come on parents lets be parents..
“A defined pattern and schedule will be formulated and Drug Detecting Canines will be in our middle and high schools with enhanced frequency.”
What’s that supposed to mean, something like, “Ok students, the drug dog will be here every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 a.m.”? It will certainly have a defined pattern and schedule; however, it is missing the vital deterrence element of surprise. Otherwise, what’s the point?
And for huh’s comment, “…and what they do off campus isn’t the schools business.”
Schools do have a “need to know” what students do off campus as a matter of safety. Actually, there is a state law that requires reporting by law enforcement to the school district when little “Billy” is arrested out in town.
I’m glad to see that the problem is being acknowledged. However, this broad plan only addresses the problem as it exists and does not offer preventive programs. I would like to see many more, and talented counselors available for the students. This community is economically distressed and there is a very large percentage of the population that lives in poverty. Long term, chronic, poverty erodes a person’s ability and means to cope and it is human nature to self-medicate. A system or plan that simply has the intent of punishing people after the fact does not properly and effectively address the problem and it certainly will not help these kids or their parents. I would like to see a program that keeps people from the brink of hopelessness and desperation. All the kids need good coping skills and access to ready, capable guidance BEFORE their life situations have led them down the path of desperation for relief.
Having a program that would reward kids for being “snitches” violates the very social environment that kids live in, and encourages anti-social behavior. Kids who tattle on other kids have issues of their own.
“The inclusion of random drug screening/testing is being contemplated. ECSB cannot legally drug test all students (Like Pensacola Catholic High School does); however, we can and should randomly test those who wish to participate in extracurricular activities and/or drive their personal vehicles on our school campuses”
No way thats going to fly , you can’t force kids to be drug tested and what they do off campus isn’t the schools business
this sounds like a very good start….hopefully, significant focus will also be directed towards kindergarten and elementary kids, as far as early education against drugs/alcohal consumption.
There should be just as much emphasis put on alcohol as more and more teens are turning into alcoholics at a very young age.