2 NORTH HAVEN STUDENTS EXPELLED

NORTH HAVEN - The Board of Education has expelled two North Haven
High School students who were arrested on drug charges.

Superintendent of Schools Sara-Jane R. Querfeld said the boys each
were expelled for 180 days, but could not make further comment.
Board Chairman John Lambert, who officiated at the recent expulsion
hearing, declined comment.

But the family of one of the boys, and friends of both students, are
upset at the discipline that was leveled against them. "It's not
right," said John Cucurello, a senior who helped to pass around a
petition that urged school officials to keep the two boys in school.
More than 500 students signed the petition, he said.

"They think it's stupid because other kids were caught on school
grounds (smoking or being in possession of marijuana) and only got
90 days (expulsion)," Cucurello said.

One of the expelled 17-year-olds, a junior, had been chosen to be a
tri-captain of a varsity sports team in the school next year.
Because of the expulsion, the young man cannot be a tri-captain on his team.

The other youth, also 17, is a senior. They were arrested on Nov. 30.

The boys' names were not released by North Branford police or school
officials.

Both of the boys were charged with possession of marijuana,
possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of
paraphernalia and conspiracy to commit possession with intent to sell.

According to North Branford police, 12 small sandwich-style bags and
two other bags containing marijuana were found in the prospective
tri-captain's Mustang. One of the teens was carrying $536 and the
other had $180 and a list of names that had amounts of money noted
next to the names, police said.

The first boy's father said he "definitely doesn't condone" his
son's marijuana usage and that he's not proud of it, and has asked
his son not to do it. The boy's father said his son had the $536
because he had just paid him for work he did for his company over
the course of about a month.

The boy's mother said that a New Haven Superior Court judge recently
dropped the intent to sell charges against her son and the other
boy, but that they had to pay a $350 fee to attend a drug education
class and perform 32 hours of community service. A
court spokeswoman could not confirm the court action because the
boys are considered youthful offenders.

"I'm appalled at how the school can go above the state," the mother
said, adding that she doesn't understand why the school board didn't
consider that in its decision.

In Connecticut, expulsion is mandatory whenever a student is found
to have engaged in the sale and distribution of drugs, whether the
conduct occurred on school property, at a school-sponsored activity
or off of school property. Statute directs school boards to expel
students for one year, with a right to modify the period of
expulsion on a case-by-case basis. According to school rules,
student athletes cannot use or possess illegal or non-prescription
drugs, alcohol or tobacco, and disciplinary measures are taken
against athletes that violate the code.

The mother said that in order for the boys to be allowed back to
school, they would have to each perform 80 hours of community
service and receive drug education.

The school system also offered alternative education services.
School districts are not obligated to offer alternative education to
students over 16.