TALBOT'S SCHOOL ATHLETIC POLICY WILL NOW INCLUDE TREATMENT PROVISION

EASTON - Another meeting of the Talbot County Board of Education has come
and gone without resolution to the athletic policy issue. But there is a
light at the end of the tunnel. The board members reached a consensus
Wednesday night on how they want the policy to read. Now, School
Superintendent Dr. J. Sam Meek must revise the policy and Rochelle
Eisenberg, the school board's attorney, must review it before it can be
voted on at the next meeting.

The amended policy will state that a student who is assigned by the
superintendent to another school for disciplinary reasons will be
ineligible for sports and other extracurricular activities for 180 school
days. A student will not be excluded from the same sport for two
consecutive school years.

According to the policy, this "is intended as a lesser alternative
discipline for any student who has consumed or has in his/her possession on
school property drugs or alcohol that would otherwise result in expulsion."

Added to the policy after a presentation by Janet Pfeffer, director of the
Talbot Partnership for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention, is a
provision that will allow the suspension to be cut to 90 days if the
student participates in a free assessment program, known as "TurnAround,"
offered by the Talbot County Health Department in conjunction with the
Talbot Partnership.

A student who fails to complete the program must serve the full 180-day
suspension.

The program includes drug testing, but the results will be used internally
by the health department and will not be released to the schools.

Participation in TurnAround is initiated by a parent, who must call
410-819-5903 to schedule an appointment with a Maryland Certified
Addictions counselor. The parent will be interviewed for background
information and receive educational materials.

The student will sign a consent to disclose information on program
attendance, drug test results, treatment recommendations and progress to
the parent and consent to disclose information on program attendance to a
school representative.

After the student is interviewed to determine if there is a problem, the
parent and student will be given treatment recommendations, which could
include a six week education program; a 12 week treatment program,
including self-help group attendance and drug testing; or referral to an
inpatient facility.

The option for treatment "shows love" and allows the "kids to stay linked
to the schools," Pfeffer said.

The policy "has teeth and it also shows caring," said board member Steven
Harris.

During a workshop held before the regular meeting, the school board heard
comments from school employees, community leaders and concerned citizens.

Talbot County Sheriff Thomas Duncan said the issue was discussed Tuesday
during a meeting of local law enforcement agencies, and they agreed with
the school board that action needs to be taken.

"Extreme actions, extreme measures," Duncan said.

Kathy Smith, president of the Talbot County Education Association, gave her
full support to Meek's proposed policy, saying a clear message that
"substance abuse always carries consequences" must be sent.

Gail Phillips, Talbot County Schools physical education specialist,
presented information from the Maryland State Department of Education which
identified Talbot County as a "hot spot" for drug and alcohol abuse based
on the results of the 2001 Maryland Adolescent Survey. Phillips implored
the school board to adopt the proposed policy "without any reservations."

Mary K. "Molly" Groton, a member of the Talbot Family Network Community
Ambassador Advisory Committee, president of the Easton Middle School Parent
Teacher Association and Talbot County School parent, read a
unanimously-approved statement from the advisory committee.

"We suggest that you encourage children to select the option of a substance
abuse assessment, education and treatment program that would reduce the
length of extracurricular suspension for children who complete the
program," Groton said.

"We believe that trying to change children's behavior through education or
treatment along with providing punishment through loss of privileges fits
beautifully with helping children learn and grow from their mistakes and
succeed in overcoming poor decisions."