RIDGEFIELD STUDENTS DENY CLAIMS OF DRUG PROBLEMS

RIDGEFIELD -- Some students at Ridgefield High School said the
measures for increased security at the school after Joey Lucisano's
death were unnecessary, although some welcomed them. But most high
students interviewed after the 17-year-old's suicide two months ago
said they do not think there is a pervasive drug problem at the school.

"It is not a problem," said freshman Liz Sfondrini, 14. Though "I know
a lot of kids that smoke pot in every grade."

Most, she said, smoke marijuana at people's houses, not at
school.

At the high school for only four months, freshman Kelsi Rohrmann said
she knows who does and who doesn't do drugs. She and other students
said they could name up to 10 students who sold marijuana or could get
it for someone.

Rohrmann said Lucisano's death "was a big deal." She heard that the
group of people he smoked pot with have stopped after his death.

"I don't know anyone who does drugs at school," said freshman Allie
Wheeler. "I have never been asked to do it. There is no gap between
those who do drugs and those who don't."

Senior Shrutika Sankar said, "there are drugs at the high school" but
school officials and parents have "over-reacted" to it because "there
is not as much peer pressure" as some think.

There are drugs in town and at the school, but that is true in any
town or school, said Taryn Heyman, a senior on the senior class
student council.

She has never seen people take illegal drugs at school, but knows
"occasionally people will come to school under the influence. People
doing drugs and dealing drugs, they are not stupid enough to do it at
school."

There is an occasional situation where a student is caught with drugs,
but Heyman said she feels "like it was worse last year, a lot more
noticeable."

"I don't see a culture of drugs at the high school," said senior Matt
Hotard, who is active in many organizations at school. "The quote
unquote 'cool kids' are not smoking marijuana and drinking all the
time. I am aware kids do marijuana, but it is essentially outside the
school. It is generally in small groups confined to individual houses.
There is no coke, heroin, LSD -- I am not aware of it."

He hasn't seen people smoke marijuana or drink alcohol at school. Nor
does he know of students who are drug dealers sitting together at a
table during lunch. He said he has never felt pressured to take drugs.

"Absolutely not," he said. "It is their (a student's) choice if they
want to do it. I don't feel pressure to do drugs or alcohol."

Ridgefield Superintendent Kenneth Freeston said a resource officer
will come back in the school in February and he plans to have drug
sniffing dogs periodically go through the high school.

"It is another thing kids don't need," said Sfondrini. "All the kids
will get worried about nothing. They are ruining a good high school.
It is a waste of money."

Heyman said she knows Newtown High School has drug sniffing
dogs.

"It would stop anything from being brought in school or others from
having it," she said if Ridgefield High School had them. "I think it's
a good idea, but I understand that people are hesitant."

To have a resource officer, "makes sense" to her as well. "If it makes
kids nervous, it should be because they shouldn't be doing drugs in
school anyway."

Freshman Abby Searfoss, who moved from Chicago, said drugs in the
affluent town she came from were about the same as in Ridgefield. The
school she came from had a resource officer who was helpful, she said.

Hotard remembers the DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance Education)
program in middle school. During Hotard's freshman year at Ridgefield
High School, Resource Officer Fernando Luis of the Ridgefield Police
Department was stationed at the school.

"When the resource officer was in the school you could feel his
presence there," said Hotard. "It does have an impact. Without a
resource officer it emboldens a certain few (students) to sell a bag
of marijuana. Having someone there, no one takes stupid risks. I think
a resource officer is a positive influence and was a positive influence."

He is opposed to drug sniffing dogs and most students he has talked
with think "it is over the top."

"Issues at the school aren't big enough" to merit it, said Hotard. He
sees it as a "very reactionary" way to "appease angry adults" who want
to see some type of action taken.

"I don't think it is good for the school," he said, because it takes
away from the learning environment.