STUDENTS ARRESTED IN DRUG INCIDENTS

Four students at two Wichita public schools were arrested on drug
charges and eight others were suspended Thursday, but district
officials said the incidents do not reflect a growing drug problem in
local schools.

A 14-year-old girl was arrested Thursday and eight other students
were suspended at Wilbur Middle School on Thursday, said district
spokeswoman Susan Arensman.

Police said the case involves OxyContin -- a strong, addictive pain
medication. OxyContin was brought to school twice this week, police
said.

"I don't know how long it's been going on at Wilbur," said Wichita
police Capt. Terry Nelson. "We don't think it's something that just
started."

Also on Thursday, three Heights High students -- a 16-year-old girl
and two 15-year-old girls -- were arrested on school grounds and face
charges linked to possessing and attempting to sell ecstasy pills.

But Wichita school officials said that overall, drug-related
incidents are down this year.

"It's just timing," Arensman said of the two incidents on the same
day. "Timing is everything."

There were 130 drug-related incidents during the 2004-05 school year,
Arensman said, involving everything from ecstasy and other "designer
drugs" to marijuana.

The year before, there were 145 incidents, she said.

"When you consider how big our district is, that's not very many
incidents considering it's a whole year," Arensman said.

The Wilbur investigation is continuing, Nelson said Friday. But "the
kids are scared," he said. "They don't want to get in trouble."

Designer drugs such as ecstasy are a little more common among
students than in years past, Arensman said, but marijuana remains the
most commonly used illegal drug.

As part of the district's zero-tolerance policy, she said, students
involved in drug abuse or illegal drug activity are suspended for
five days pending a hearing. Depending on the outcome of the hearing,
they can be expelled for as many as 186 days.

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NOW YOU KNOW

Drug Incidents Involving Usd 259 Students

Four students in two different Wichita public schools were arrested
for drug-related offenses Thursday, but district officials say the
arrests do not reflect a spike in drug activity among students. There
has actually been a slight drop in drug-related incidents involving
students so far this school year, they said.

2004-05: 130

2003-04: 145

2002-03: 170

2001-02: 127

Source: USD 259