TASK FORCE LOOKS TO PREVENT DRUG ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

A Statewide Survey Shows That Drug Use Often Begins Before High School

In January, the Columbia School Board will hear from the district's
Substance Abuse Task Force on how to better combat drug and alcohol
use in public schools.

Right now the task force is analyzing statistics on drug use and
talking with students to determine what steps should be taken. On
Thursday, Leslie Trogdon, director of school improvement for the
Columbia Public School District, talked to the board about the 2006
Safe and Drug Free Survey. Conducted by the Missouri Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education, the survey looks at reported
drug and alcohol use by ninth- through 12th-graders in public
schools statewide.

Trogdon presented the Columbia data as it compares to the rest of
the state. For example, 11.1 percent of Columbia students said they
have smoked marijuana more than 40 times, versus the statewide
average of 4.1 percent. Another statistic from the survey shows
that 19.2 percent of Columbia students have tried an illegal drug,
compared with 9.6 percent statewide.

The data suggests that experimentation with drugs and alcohol begins
before students reach high school, Trogdon said.

"The focus on high school helps, but it starts in middle school,"
said Donald Ludwig, the board's vice president, referring to the survey.

Officer John Warner of the Columbia Police Department pointed to the
"big change in social structure" that happens when students start
middle school in sixth grade.

"They're given more freedom and opportunity," Warner said.

Warner, who participates in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education
program, which educates fifth-graders about drugs, said drug use has
nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with what he
calls E.Q., or "emotional quotient."

"(At that age) they don't have the life experience to make those
decisions," Warner said.

The board discussed the need for additional drug prevention programs
beyond DARE, which consists of a one-hour lesson per week for 10
weeks. Member David Ballenger urged the board to look at the cost of
adding school resource officers to middle and junior high schools,
with the idea of expanding their presence; among their duties, the
officers teach drug and alcohol prevention.

"We know it's working," Ballenger said, "And I think it would have an impact."

Warner agreed, saying an increase in the number of resource officers
would be a good thing. He brought examples of items students can use
to bring drugs into schools, including water and soda bottles with
false bottoms that can be used to stash marijuana and a highlighter
pen that can double as a pipe. These items can be purchased locally,
Warner said.

He showed how easily five grams of marijuana fit into the fake water bottle.

In Columbia, possession of 35 grams of marijuana or less is a misdemeanor.

"That's the most ridiculous law in the community," Ludwig said.
"This community has to decide; it can't be the schools doing it alone."

Board president Karla DeSpain shared discussions she had with
students at Hickman and Rock Bridge high schools. She said that
students said they know where to get drugs if they want them but
that an overwhelming number of students said they can stay away from
drugs if they choose.

The school board formed the task force to look at what's happening
in the district and make recommendations.

"We still have some things to learn," said Assistant Superintendent
Lynn Barnett, who leads the task force.