DRUGS LARGEST INSTIGATOR OF SCHOOL STUDENT SUSPENSIONS

Drugs were the leading cause for students getting suspended
indefinitely from Central Okanagan schools last year.

And the numbers are on the rise.

A report heading to the school board tonight shows indefinite
suspensions for drugs were up over last year.

Boys lead the charge with 20 of the 23 indefinite drug suspensions
last year.

In all, last year, 69 students--62 boys and seven girls--were kicked
out of school indefinitely, which is about the same number as in
previous years.

For definite suspensions, up to 10 days, drugs were responsible for
294 of the total 2,064 suspensions last year.

That number is up 17 per cent over the previous year.

Definite suspensions are up overall about nine per cent over the
previous year and have been rising steadily since 1997.

Across the board, boys continue to outnumber girls in all kinds of
suspensions by four to five times.

Most of the definite suspensions are behaviour related for girls and
boys.

But boys are more likely to get kicked out for fighting, while girls
get caught more for skipping out.

The report shows girls will get into more trouble from Grades 8 to 10,
while boys have the problems right from Grade 7 to 11.

But, while the numbers of definite suspensions may be up, it doesn't
necessarily translate that student behaviour is getting worse.

It may be school staff are being more diligent in applying
suspensions.

In the report, student support service director Peter Molloy states:
"It is believed that decreased tolerance for misbehaviour, strong
punitive reactions to threats, bullying and weapons, along with the
expansion of the duration of definite suspensions from five to 10
days, all contributes to the increase in definite suspensions."