PARKINS ASKS INPUT ON IMPROVING SCHOOLS' 'ZERO TOLERANCE' POLICY

GATLINBURG - Greene County Schools officials attending the system's annual
retreat here focused part of their attention Wednesday night on ways to
improve the effectiveness of the system's policy on "zero tolerance" for
drug-possession or -use.

The topic was brought up at the retreat's opening session by Dr. Joe
Parkins, director of schools, who asked the members of the Greene County
Board of Education and county school principals for their ideas on the
subject.

Parkins said that state law mandates "zero tolerance" for possession of
weapons or drugs at school or for assault on school personnel.

"The only one we have problems with is drugs," he said, noting that his
policy has been to send students who are found to possess drugs to the
county school system's "Alternative Learning Program" at the Education
Center on Hal Henard Road for "90 days" on the first offense and to suspend
them from school for a second offense.

Unfortunately, Parkins said, the policy has not led to a decrease in the
number of students found in possession of drugs.

When suggestions were sought from the audience, West Greene High School
Principal Larry Bible said several principals with whom he had spoken
concurred that one way to toughen the drug policy might be to suspend
first-offenders for a semester, followed by another semester in the
Alternative Learning Program before they are allowed to return to regular
classes.

Parkins said some would consider that punishment too harsh and that it
likely could overwhelm the capacity of the Alternative Learning Program.

Milton Parham, the system's new coordinator of elementary school testing,
pointed out that some other school systems are using anti-drug policies that
require offending students to attend ALP classes at night or on weekends.

But Parkins said that alternative would require hiring more staff in a tight
budget environment.

After more discussion, Parkins asked the system's principals to discuss the
matter further during small-group meetings scheduled for today and to make a
recommendation to him.