SCHOOL BOARD SOFTENS PUNISHMENT FOR DRUG OFFENSES, KEEPS PEPSI PACT

Suspension terms are changed for alcohol, drug-policy violations

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education voted unanimously last
night to amend the district's drug policy to allow students to remain in
school after a second drug or alcohol offense.

The policy previously called for students to be expelled after a second
offense.

Penalties for the first time a student is caught with drugs or alcohol will
remain the same. The student is suspended for three to five days and can be
suspended for the rest of the year.

The long-term suspension can be stayed if the student agrees to a drug
assessment and treatment program, which is paid for by the school system.

But after a second offense, an offending student will now receive a 10-day
suspension and be put on probation if he or she agrees to a drug-assessment
and treatment program. The student's family will pay the costs of treatment
and assessment.

If the student completes the program, the student will be released from
probation. The student will also be drug-tested at random for one year.

Offending students will be expelled if they commit three offenses in three
years, but they can be readmitted if they complete adrug-assessment and
treatment program.

Those students will also be drug-tested for one year and pay the costs of
treatment and assessment.

The new policy also calls for the district to increase random drug testing
from 10 percent of students in extracurricular activities to 33 percent.

In other business, the board:

. Voted 8-1 to extend the district's contract with Pepsi from 2005 to 2010.
The contract gives Pepsi exclusive rights to sell and market its drinks in
school vending machines, cafeterias and concession stands.

Pepsi will pay the district $155,000 each year, and provide scoreboards, ice
machines and beverage-vending machines for new schools.

Board member Geneva Brown voted against the contract.

. Voted unanimously to approve a matching-funds program that will provide up
to $5,000 for a capital project if a school raises a set amount of money
from such groups as booster clubs, civic groups or businesses.

The amount a particular school has to raise on its own is based on the
percentage of students who receive free or reduced-price lunches.

For example, elementary schools with more than 75 percent of students
receiving free or reduced-price lunches would have to raise $2,500 to
receive $5,000 from the district.

. Unanimously selected Donny Lambeth as chairman and Jane Goins as vice
chairman.