DRUGS GETTING INTO SCHOOLS

Two Denman Students Expelled For Selling Pot

Published Thursday, May 15, 2003 2:11 PM CDT

The expulsion of two Denman Junior High School students Tuesday night for
allegedly selling marijuana on campus is an indicator of the resurgence of
drugs in city schools.

That's an acknowledgement made by Superintendent Dr. Pat Cooper, who said
new measures are being taken to take care of the increase of an old problem
- - bags of pot finding their way into classrooms, lockers, hallways and book
bags.

Resource officers from the McComb Police Department patrol the school
daily. Drug dogs are sometimes brought in as well. And the school board
will vote on a drug testing policy for students at Denman and the high
school at meeting at the end of June. So far, Cooper said, there hasn't
been too many public objections about the proposed policy.

Cooper said the biggest weapon in the school district's fight against drugs
are the tips school officials receive from students regarding drug sale and
use on campus.

"That's the good thing right now, we don't think there are any more or less
drugs in the schools, but our students are demanding that schools be free
of that, and they're turning in fellow students," Cooper said. "That's
better than drug dogs, that's better than drug testing."

He said tips received from students are kept confidential.

Schools across the nation are seeing more drugs, namely marijuana, Cooper said.

"Marijuana is cheap and they think it's safe," he said.

Most of the drug transactions taking place in the schools involve small
amounts of marijuana sold in dime bags for $10, Cooper said.

School officials have outlined a three-pronged effort to curb the drug
problem: More health and drug education; provide students with adults they
can confide in like resource officers, counselors and community liaison;s
and the tentative drug testing policy.

Like McComb, North Pike School officials are also thinking of establishing
a drug testing policy for students involved in extracurricular activities,
Superintendent Dr. Ben Cox said.

"I think if you have one student (with drugs) on campus you have a
problem," Cox said.

"It's reality, you cant' sweep it under the rug," Cooper said. "I think the
good thing is whatever's coming to school we're catching."

Although the actual drug sales are believed to be done by a small group of
students, said Cooper, a much larger population of the student body,
ranging from all types of socio-economic backgrounds, are making the buys.

Cox said while drug use in his school system has been low, it has been
consistent over the last four to five years.

Only one student was caught selling marijuana this year at the high school
and no other drug infractions were recorded, he said.

"We have not have seen a large increase of drug use or catching students
with drugs," Cox said.

The recently expelled Denman students will be introduced into the Pike
County Youth Court system with drug charges levied against them, Cooper said.

Cox said North Pike students who get caught with drugs at school are picked
up by sheriff's deputies and their parents are notified.

South Pike Superintendent Dr. Maggie Griffin said this morning that the
school board had no disciplinary hearings this school year regarding drug
violations.