CATHOLIC SCHOOL TRUSTEES HOLD MEETING TO BRAINSTORM SOLUTIONS TO STUDENT
DRUG USE

Expulsions from school over the last couple of years have not been many,
but the message trustees receive during the expulsion hearings is that drug
and alcohol abuse might be more prevalent than originally thought.

"What our school board was concerned about was in the teenage population
there are always a number of students that have access to drugs and then
there are a number of students that are on the fringes. Over time, through
peer association, they become part of that circle of individuals that uses
drugs," says HFCRD superintendent Wayne Doll.

"Then there is another layer of students - the curious onlookers."

Not wanting to leave anything to chance, Holy Family Catholic Regional
Division No. 17 (HFCRD) recently called a meeting of its trustees, school
administrators, AADAC (Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission), and RCMP
to determine whether there was a significant problem and if so brainstorm
possible strategies and solutions, says Doll.

"AADAC statistics show that likely our area is very similar to other areas
in Alberta," says Doll. "We're not unusual. This is not a problem that is
specific to our area and while we didn't go deeply into all the provincial
statistics I would say that our area is pretty comparable to what is
happening in the rest of the province."

Programs, such as DARE (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education) and other
educational programs have been effective, he says. Although the RCMP
program for students in grades 2, 4 and 6 has been implemented in the
division's Grimshaw, Manning, Valleyview and High Prairie schools, it is
not a component of its Peace River schools because of the lack of
program-trained personnel. The training is extensive and the detachment has
not had the numbers, nor the funds for training, says Doll.

Funds, says the Alberta School Boards Association, should be a provincial
responsibility not a detachment responsibility.

While working on the educational side, there is a need to focus on school
policies in order to insure a safe and caring environment for students and
staff. Clearly, there are areas that are unacceptable, such as taking drugs
to school, passing drugs to others, and trafficking.

"We feel fairly strongly that we're doing the right thing in taking more of
a zero tolerance approach in our schools."

Doll will refine those policies over the next few weeks with some
short-term strategies that the division will try to implement as a result
of that meeting. Longer-term strategies will also make their way into the
division's policy manual.

"We have pretty clear policies already in our student discipline policy
where we're not overly lenient, but we want to make sure that we're doing
the right thing because we want to go a little bit beyond kicking kids out.
We want to because kids still have access to each other after school."

AADAC research indicates the highest incidence of drug use in the teenage
population occurs from 4-6 p.m.

"It is a societal problem," says Doll, not a school one.

HFCRD intends to take a strong position on drugs and alcohol, based on
AADAC research, medical research and on the law and how the community
develops and grows.

"Hopefully, our children, when we educate them. will help educate the
broader community, but that is a societal thing that we all have to
continue to work on, in my view."

The relatively easy access to drugs is disturbing, as is various
communities' attitudes towards drug and alcohol abuse.

One disturbing aspect of the drug and alcohol situation that surfaced from
the recent meeting and expulsion hearings is that drugs to which children
have access come from family members and the home.

"That in itself is another whole element we need to look at."

Children who are not users and who are still not being influenced in a
community environment where there is temptation need sufficient knowledge
to fend off the temptation and the peer pressure and avoid getting caught
in the culture.

The school division is trying to make a difference, says Doll.