WEST SALEM EXPELS 6TH STUDENT

The West Salem School District expelled its sixth student of the school
year on Monday - likely the most expulsions it has ever had.

Numbers seven and eight could be on their way in early February as more
drugs were found on school grounds last Friday.

The latest student expulsion - a freshmen girl - is the sixth for the
2007-08 school year. All have been of high school students, and all have
been for possession of drugs on school grounds.

Although complete records could not be found at the school or with the
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, West Salem administrators said
six expulsions is the highest known in the district's history.

The district had five expulsions in the 2002-03 school year, according to
the DPI. In the last four years, though, the district had just five expulsions.

Superintendent Nancy Burns said the board will likely consider two more
expulsions next month after drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in the
cars of two students last week.

Law enforcement agencies conducted a drug search with a drug-sniffing dog
at the high school on Jan. 18. According to the West Salem Police
Department, officers recovered drug paraphernalia in one vehicle and
marijuana and drug paraphernalia in another; citation were issued to the
students, who were both 18-year-old males.

Although expulsions have become more frequent, Burns said the district has
not changed its policy; the district has had a zero-tolerance policy when
it comes to drugs and drug-related items on school grounds.

However, she said more drugs are being found due to the opportunity to
conduct drug searches as well as circumstantial situations. As for the
latter, she said drugs have been found on students when police have
apprehended them for separate incidents.

"We have had a greater availability of a drug-searching dog, and ... we
have just really have had (drugs) fall out of purses," Burns said. "It's
being addressed as it always has been. It's just literally falling into our
laps."

While the severity of each expulsion is based on evidence and the student's
situation - ranging from permanent expulsion to being re-admitted if
criteria are met - Burns said the district will continue to treat drugs on
school grounds seriously.

"We have always told law enforcement (agencies) that if they have
availability to the (drug-searching) dogs to bring them as they so desire,"
Burns said. "We want to prove that our school is clean."

In cooperation with the WSPD, Burns said the district will host an Onalaska
drug enforcement officer to speak at the Heider Center on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.
The event, open to the public, will focus on how to create drug-resistant
youth; topics will include traits of drug users and what drugs and drug
paraphernalia smell and look like.

Burns said she plans on writing an open letter to invite families to attend.

"As a community, we must protect our youth," she said.