STUDENTS FACE NEW DRUG RULES

Parent Says Problem Ignored At Rock Bridge High School.

The Columbia Board of Education tried to close a loophole in its anti-drug
rules last night, but one Columbia parent alleged students and
administrators don't take the board policies seriously.

"Are you aware of specific incidents where students have drugs on campus,
and the faculty and administrators know about this, and they ignore it?"
superintendent Jim Ritter asked Debbie Gaines, a parent of a Rock Bridge
High School student.

"Yes," Gaines said.

"Have you sat down with principals of those schools and told them
specifically about that? You have personal knowledge, and it is not
hearsay?" Ritter continued.

"Yes," she said again.

Gaines explained that she had called a meeting of parents to discuss
problems and that a Rock Bridge administrator did attend. She alleged there
was one incident where the school knew a student used an illegal substance
but did not tell the student's parents. She said she had spoken to
teachers, too, who felt administrators "chose maybe not to react quickly"
to situations.

If teachers think administrators are soft on drugs and alcohol, they should
bring their concerns to him, not a parent, Ritter said. This morning, he
told the Tribune he would protect the anonymity of any teacher who had such
concerns.

Assistant superintendent Chris Mallory said Gaines had reported an incident
to him and that it had been addressed. He had been unable to report back to
her any action taken because the student deserved privacy, he said.

Students caught possessing drugs or alcohol or attending school under the
influence are supposed to be given a suspension of 1 to 180 days.
Statistics about how many times punishment has been imposed at Rock Bridge
and length of suspensions were not available this morning. During the
1999-2000 school year, Rock Bridge reported six drug offenses to law
enforcement officials. Hickman High School reported 23, and Douglass High
School reported 13.

Ritter said this morning that he would have to impose any suspensions of
more than 10 days in length and none that long had been handed down this year.

Rock Bridge principal Bruce Brotzman said after the meeting that he would
be glad to meet with Gaines or any parent and doesn't want any parent to
feel ignored.

Brotzman said that sometimes there is not clear evidence of allegations.

"We do seek to enforce whatever the policy is, and we do seek to do it
fairly," he said.

The board last night amended its policy so that students are in violation
if they try to attend school or a school activity within 90 minutes of
consuming alcohol or drugs.

Under the previous policy, students were considered to be in violation only
if they attended "under the influence."

Board member Russell Still said at least one high school student has
contended that school policy did not prohibit drug and alcohol use across
the street from schools and argued that the school had no right to impose a
punishment because of allegations about what a student does off-grounds.

The student further argued that having a small amount of a substance didn't
qualify legally as being "under the influence."

"I think every school in the country has a place where kids stand across
the street, smoke and fool around before they go to school," Still said.
"What we want to say is this is definitely wrong, even if you aren't under
the influence."