SCHOOL BOARD TACKLES DRUG, VIOLENCE ISSUES

BOLIVIA, N.C. - Brunswick County schools superintendent Katie McGee
has seen it all too often: Sixth-graders proudly declaring their
abstinence from drugs in the school system's DARE program, only to
have a report dropped on her desk that many have tried drugs by the
seventh grade.

Drugs, smoking and campus security at Brunswick schools are on the
radar of school board members, and the first two are scheduled to be
addressed this Friday at a safe schools committee meeting.

"Violence in our schools must never be seen as commonplace," said
board member James Hobbs. "It's even now becoming so commonplace
[nationwide] that we're not even hearing about it anymore."

The school system has five walk-through metal detectors and six
wands. Each of the high schools and middle schools have metal
detectors, and they are also utilized at basketball and football games.

Though there have not been any instances of violence in Brunswick
County Schools in which a weapon has been used, school officials are
hoping to find grant funding or room in the budget to pay for an
additional metal detector at each high school.

"We are fortunate to have a very proactive board," said Brunswick
County schools spokesman Adam Henning. "The concern was sparked by
national news stories where it seemed some of the tragedies could
have been prevented or at least minimized had there been metal detectors."

Board member Charlie Miller, who is also a former deputy with the
Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, said metal detectors aren't the
only answer to preventing school violence. "Just because you have a
metal detector doesn't mean you're not going to have violence in the
schools," Miller said.

He said starting a campus Crime Stoppers program that allows students
to report on others anonymously may help keep schools safe and also
help alert school staff of drug users and smokers.

School officials will discuss options this Friday to curb student
smoking in school restrooms.

"I think something needs to be done," board member Ray Gilbert said.

Steve Miley, director of operations for the school system, said
security gates and adding more monitors in bathrooms are being
considered to rein in the problem.

Security gates at bathroom doors would limit bathroom access while
classes are in session.

The issue of randomly drug-testing students also will be discussed at
Friday's meeting. The issue was recently brought up because of the
increase in drug searches at schools.

"We need to be able to provide counseling and treatment for these
students," board president Scott Milligan said. "We are seeing more
and more of those prescription drugs and illegal drugs making the
hallways of our schools. We're seeing more and more violations
involving drugs in our schools.

"Personally, I want to send a message to our student body that we are
not going to tolerate drug use in our schools. It is destroying our
school system. I have no tolerance for this. It's getting to be out
of control."

The message from Milligan is clear and was echoed at the recent
retreat by many others. Miller said he would like to see a campus
Crime Stoppers program at the middle school and high school levels
and to institute random drug testing for students who participate in
extracurricular activities.

Board member Ray Gilbert said he'd like the school system to adopt
more strict rules on drug use.

"Maybe one of the things we need to take a look at is a one-strike
rule," Gilbert said.

The reports of drugs may have increased, spokesman Henning said,
because the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office has conducted more
random drug sweeps of schools and their parking lots this year than
in years past.

"Those sweeps have found isolated incidents of drugs in students'
cars," Henning said. "I don't believe the rate of K-9 hits ... has
gone up. Rather, more widespread and frequent sweeps has resulted in
numerically more incidents of K-9 alerts on cars."

Brunswick schools have one full-time drug counselor that rotates
between schools.

McGee said she is planning to request another counselor for next
school year's budget.

If you go

What | Safe Schools Committee meeting, Brunswick County Schools

When | 9 a.m. Friday

Where | Brunswick Schools Central Office, 35 Referendum Drive, Bolivia, N.C.