R-8 BOARD ADDS SPECIFICITY TO SUBSTANCE PUNISHMENTS

A new policy approved Tuesday night by the Joplin Board of Education will
allow for greater consistency in the punishment assigned for possession and
distribution of alcohol or drugs on school property.

The new policy specifies that a first-time offense of possession or being
under the influence of drugs or alcohol will result in 10 to 20 days of
out-of-school suspension.

An administrator can reduce a punishment, but at least half of the
punishment must be spent out of school and the remaining in in-school
suspension. A second offense of this nature will result in 20 to 45 days in
out-of-school suspension. A third offense will ensure expulsion.

The punishment for a first-time offense of distribution is 45 days in
out-of-school suspension.

A second such offense will result in expulsion.

In all cases, law enforcement will be notified and the incident will be
noted in the student's disciplinary record.

According to the previous disciplinary rules, a first-time violation of
possessing or distributing such substances called for a 10-day,
out-of-school suspension and recommendation for expulsion. This policy did
not differentiate between punishment for possession and distribution.

"There was no distinction between whether a student had one marijuana joint
or was trying to distribute 50 of them," said Steve Doerr, assistant
superintendent.

The old policy could have allowed students to distribute contrabands several
times before finally being expelled.

Doerr said the new policy will eliminate any perceptions that a lesser
punishment was the result of preferential treatment.