SCHOOL BOARD RECONSIDERS DRUG POLICY

Students Might Find `Safe Harbor` From Zero Tolerance

The Escambia County School Board wants to revamp its zero tolerance policy
on drugs, giving students a way out if they find themselves with drugs on
campus.

Board member Gary Bergosh suggested adding a "safe harbor" policy to the
School District's Rights and Responsibilities handbook that stipulates
students can turn in drugs to a faculty member without fear of expulsion.

"It would basically say if someone found drugs or realized they brought a
prescription drug with them to school, they could turn it in to the
administration or a teacher and automatic expulsion would not apply," he
said.

Bergosh, who outlined the plan at Monday's School Board workshop, will work
with the board's attorney, Francisco Negron, to draft the addition and bring
it back to the board for approval in November.

Last year, 60 students in Escambia County and 68 students in Santa Rosa
County were expelled for drug violations.

Under both counties' zero tolerance policies, possession is enough to
warrant expulsion.

The issue became a nationwide debate last month when a Pensacola High honor
student was recommended for expulsion after finding a bag of pills on
campus. Teresa Elenz, who was later reinstated by an independent hearing
officer, said she was afraid to turn the drugs in because of the district's
zero tolerance policy. She intended to dispose of the pills - which turned
out to be over-the-counter sinus medication and a few prescription-strength
pills - but was caught before she could.

The principal and a committee of district administrators said Teresa, 15,
should be expelled, but her parents appealed for a formal hearing. The
officer said, at worst, Teresa was guilty of "poor judgment" and recommended
a 10-day suspension. She was out of school for more than a month awaiting
the appeal.

Bergosh also recommended finding a way to make the process faster, so that
students aren't out of school for so long.

Board members gave Bergosh tentative support.

"I think that's a more fair way of doing this," said member Cary Stidham.
"Let them know there is a safe harbor."

Board member Elmer Jenkins questioned whether the board should begin
considering drug violations on a case-by-case basis, rather than enforcing
zero tolerance. He pointed out that, under their contract, public school
teachers get a second chance if they violate drug policies.

"We should take a common sense approach," Jenkins said. "I have a problem
with zero tolerance when it says one thing for students and another for
employees."

Teresa's mother, Nancy Skaggs, said she's glad the board is addressing both
issues.

"They need to have that policy in writing and make sure kids understand it,"
she said. "They also need to get these kids back in school as quickly as
possible. The homework Teresa has had to catch up on has been unbelievable."

In other business, the board:

Discussed leasing the Petree Pre-Kindergarten Center to ARC- Gateway, a
nonprofit organization that provides services to people with disabilities,
for $1 a year. The School Board shut down two Pre-K centers this year,
Petree and Judy Andrews, and relocated those classes to elementary school
sites to save overhead costs.

All five board members said they supported the move and will vote on the
issue tonight.

Discussed a proposal by Stidham to limit Superintendent Jim Paul's authority
to set administrative salaries. Stidham said there needs to be established
criteria for promotions and step increases within each pay grade, rather
than leaving it solely to the superintendent's discretion.

Joe Hammons, the superintendent's attorney, said in a written response to
the proposed rule that it would "not only be unwise but, in my view,
unlawful." Negron, the board's attorney, disagreed.

The board will vote on the issue tonight.