SCHOOL OFFICIALS EXPLAIN 'ZERO TOLERANCE' RULING

"Zero tolerance," a no-nonsense drug policy enacted by the Bristol
Virginia School Board in 1998, has been put under a magnifying glass
by teachers at Virginia High School in recent days.

On Feb. 28, school officials say, two students were found smoking
marijuana in a school bathroom.

Instead of being expelled, as many VHS teachers have suggested would
have been appropriate under the policy, the two were suspended for 20
days.

A third student was charged with felony drug distribution and was
expelled for a year.

"The drug policy at VHS and in the system should reflect the
philosophy that drug sales or use by anyone on any school campus or
at any school function will not be tolerated under any
circumstances," said Richard Rollins, an English and drama teacher at
VHS who served as spokesman for the educators during a
standing-room-only School Board session last Monday.

"Any student who is caught selling, possessing or using illegal drugs
or alcohol at school or at a school function should be automatically
expelled," he said.

Board members voted 4-1 during a closed-door session not to expel the
students, and following last Monday's meeting, they have been
defending that decision.

The dissenting School Board member was Butch Tolley.

"To educate in mind and not morals is creating a menace to society,"
Tolley said. "We've got to take a stand."

Board Chairman John Kieffer, meanwhile, disagreed with the
one-size-fits-all policy being demanded.

"To say there's no tolerance of drugs doesn't mean there will be
automatic expulsion," Kieffer said. "We (must) use judgment on a
case-by-case basis to categorize the kind of offenses that offer
serious harm to a large number of students and those which pose
lesser threats. Not all offenses involving marijuana, drugs, alcohol
and tobacco are exactly the same."

The chairman also pointed out a discrepancy between the student
handbook and the system's drug policy, which he said did not include
the phrase "zero tolerance."

"The school division maintains a zero tolerance drug policy," is
clearly stated on page 13 of the student handbook.

Bristol Tennessee schools' policy, meanwhile, designates the
possession of weapons and dangerous instruments, firearms and drugs
at school as zero-tolerance offenses that carry mandatory expulsion
of at least one calender year - a rule that can be modified only by
the schools director.

"In every case that has come before me as director of schools, I have
upheld the principal's original punishment (of expulsion)," Bristol
Tennessee Schools Director Steve Dixon said. "All cases have been
clear zero-tolerance offenses."

On the other hand, the Washington County, Va., school system has a
disciplinary committee that hears evidence of drug infractions on a
case-by-case basis, according to Dr. Lee Brannon, instructional
supervisor for high schools.

Brannon said that as in the recent case in Bristol Virginia, students
found in violation are referred to a student assistance program and
given substance-abuse counseling when not expelled.

Bristol Virginia School Board members Jaymie Derden and Randy White
both said the idea of rehabilitating the students was considered in
their decision to suspend and not expel.

"Our primary concern is the welfare and education of all of our
students," Derden said. "As appealing as it might be to treat all
offenses the same, all situations are different with their own unique
circumstances. We feel that throwing kids out on the street is not
going to be a solution - at least not in the case of these particular
students."

White said he felt the two students' futures best were served with
them in school, on probation, receiving drug testing and attending
mandatory drug counseling - all stipulations of the board's ruling.

The students also were stripped of all extracurricular privileges and
must report to a student resource officer.

"Perhaps it would have been much easier to simply expel all three; to
wash our hands of the situation; out of sight, out of mind for one
year and then readmit them after one year on the streets," White
said. "We chose not to do so. We want to make certain that we do
everything in our power to help families help their children so that
when they return to school they will have every opportunity for
success."

Board member Gail Shazor said that all board decisions are
deliberated carefully and are based on principles of fairness and the
law.

"A lot of times, people come up with moral answers to lawful
questions," Shazor said. "I never want us to get to the point where
prejudices or popular opinion change what our decision should be. We
have to do what's legal, what's fair and what's right."