DISTRICT APPROVES NEW POLICY ON DRUGS

Tonganoxie school board members Monday night approved a substance abuse
policy that gives athletes and other students participating in other
extracurricular activities more control over their own medication needs.
The policy also gives school administrators the authority to decide
individual punishment for participants who are in possession of or using
alcohol, tobacco or controlled substances.

With the new policy, athletes and others participating in extracurricular
activities will be allowed to have with them prescription and
non-prescription medications, as long as they do not misuse the products.

The district's former policy called for these items to be kept by the coach
or group sponsor, who would dispense the medications to the student when
needed. Board members agreed last month that that policy placed a heavy
liability on the school district.

Monday night, Brent Smith, assistant principal, said he had since been
working on a revised policy with Kansas Association of School Boards
attorney Donna Whiteman.

"She said don't get detailed about the wording - the inhalers, the Tylenol
or anything else," Smith said.

The policy also addresses more serious issues, such as alcohol, tobacco and
controlled substances.

Smith said White suggested that rather than having penalties be stated in
advance, punishment for violators should be decided by administrators.

"What's the difference between someone taking a drink of beer or someone
having a pound of cocaine?" Smith said.

By leaving penalties up to school administrators, the punishment can be
tailored to the offense.

"If it's a severe case it could be they're suspended for the rest of the
year," Smith said. "You don't want to put yourself in the position where
you have a really bad case and they're suspended for two weeks because
that's the first step."

Board member Rick Lamb said he approved of the suggested revisions.

"I like the way it's worded," Lamb said. "I think it's great."

Board members approved the policy by a 4-0 vote. Board members Darlyn
Hansen and Phil Weide were absent from the meeting.