SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ZERO-TOLERANCE DRUG POLICY WORKS

Having been a member of the Escambia County School District committee that
recommended the expulsion of the two young ladies at Pensacola High School
that "found" and "held" the pills, I find it interesting that the
zero-tolerance policy has once again been attacked by the media and other
concerned citizens.

In my mind, zero tolerance had little to do with this case. That is
because, I believe, most citizens would agree that any student who brings a
combination of pills to school that could be dangerous or even possibly
lethal should be expelled.

Therefore, the issue turned to whether or not one believed their story of
"finding" the pills, "giving" them to the best friend, and "holding" them
until a plan for disposal could be decided on. Five committee members
appointed by the district heard their story, as well as other evidence
presented by the school, and not one of us even remotely believed the
"finding," "giving" and "holding" explanation.

The issue of these young ladies being "outstanding students" also has been
brought up by all the well-wishers. Fortunately for students who attend
public schools in Escambia County, we do not have one set of rules for the
"outstanding" students and another set of rules for the
"not-so-outstanding" students, particularly in regard to drugs or weapons.
And to suggest we give all 40,000 students "second chances" who bring drugs
or weapons to school is ludicrous as well.

In the past three years, the expulsion rate in the Escambia County School
District has dropped from approximately 300 to 180. I propose a major
reason for this is that the zero-tolerance policy works. Students know we
are serious about keeping drugs and weapons out of the schools. They have
seen examples of their classmates being expelled, and they have heard
repeatedly from their teachers and administrators about the severe
consequences of their choices since the sixth grade.

In the few controversial cases that have come up in recent years regarding
zero tolerance, the system worked. Committees heard evidence and made
decisions, appeals were requested, and expulsions were, in some cases,
overturned. In this case, attorneys rendered decisions that were the
easiest and most popular and returned the girls to PHS.

The facts are the girls had the drugs and made a decision to keep them in
their possession. Other evidence pointed to one or both girls knowing more
than they were admitting. So to believe they were "too frightened" to turn
them in or throw them away borders on extreme naivete at best.

Show me a system that will be more effective than the zero-tolerance policy
in keeping drugs and weapons out of the schools, and I will be the first in
line to endorse it.

Until then, I would hope that all the naysayers who think they know all
about today's youth and about what goes on in the schools would take just a
brief moment to think about what they are saying before they criticize
something they know absolutely nothing about.