SURVEY SAYS 40 PERCENT DRUG USAGE AMONG CITY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

A student survey at R. H. Watkins High School shows that almost 40 percent
of the school's seniors used some form of illegal drugs during the past
year. The Parents' Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE) report
also shows a 66.7 percent alcohol usage in the same age group.

Dr. Thomas Gleaton, co-founder and president of PRIDE, spoke at a town
meeting with Laurel and Jones County school parents Tuesday night at
Watkins High School. Gleaton and a panel of local leaders talked about the
problems children face with drugs, alcohol, and tobacco in the community
and in their schools. They also talked about ways to stop usage before it
starts.

Laurel Police Captain Terry Hosey said he was surprised to find out that so
many students used illegal drugs. "I thought I'd seen it all, heard it all,
but I have to admit that the graphs surprised me. We got 48 percent, 50
percent of students who used some form of illegal narcotic," Hosey said.
"Whether you realize it or not, the community is our eyes and ears. They
have got a lot more eyes than we do."

R. H. Watkins Principal Carolyn Stone said one step towards stopping drugs
was successful. Stone said there were only six parents at a town meeting at
the school last year. This year, there were many, many more. But, Stone
said her area of concern was not only the students who used alcohol and
drugs, but those who did not. Stone said, "I was shocked to see the
numbers. I have an 11- year-old at home and I'm scared of what's to come. I
have 68 percent who drink. What about my 32 percent who don't? How can we
stop them from giving into peer pressure? We've got to find out why these
kids do it and how we can make them stop. I've got more questions than
answers right now."

Other school leaders said teachers, law enforcement officers, and
principals often have to fix problems that started at home. Dr. Edna
Thomas, South Jones High School principal, said, "Our roll at school ends
up to combat all the things that they go through in life and to educate the
whole child. We have to be consistent in what we tell our children. They
will become immune to what we say if we are not concise. We should not be
in denial. A lot of the problem is when we're denying that our children are
involved in these things."

Laurel city schools have a drug testing program but Jones County schools do
not. But, administrators from both school districts said their boards have
tough rules on drug usage. Gleaton said parents often use drug testing as a
protective device in schools. He also said people usually notice a
difference when drugs are stopped. "A company knows they won't get the best
service from their employees who use drugs. The (U. S. military) service
knows they won't get the best people. This goes all the way down to the
students' performance in class." Gleaton also said many parents and
government officials noticed this problem back in the 1970's but they
thought it was a trend. Then, drug usage moved into middle schools and high
schools in the 1980's and eventually to elementary schools.

Gleaton said Laurel and Jones County parents, teachers, and law enforcement
can use several steps to stop drugs. He said programs like the Character
First initiative in county and city public schools was a good step towards
building character in elementary children. Gleaton also said parents should
provide a safe haven at home for their children. "Parents should turn their
anger and protective instinct around from punishing the principals and
teachers. They should use the anger for helping. Parents should also get
support from other adults because children will often listen to other
adults they respect when they won't listen to their parents."