HARTSELL: POLICY FOLLOWED

The actions of school administrators following the collapse of two
Hartselle High School students March 4 were correct, according to School
Superintendent Dr. Lee Hartsell.

At a work session Monday, Hartsell defended the handling of the incident,
saying administrators followed proper procedure.

"In my opinion the situation was handled correctly," he said.

Questions arose after the two students - one who later tested positive for
marijuana - collapsed in a school hallway. Principal Jerry Reeves took the
students to Hartselle Medical Center and no ambulance was called. The
Hartselle Police Department was also not contacted.

Some, including members of the Hartselle City Council, have questioned if
the incident was handled properly. School officials have repeatedly denied
there were any cover-ups.

In his review of the incident, Hartsell said Reeves made several "judgment
calls."

"When he (Reeves) got there, one of the students was up walking around and
the other was sitting up drinking orange juice. He (Reeves) knew one of the
students, knew him all his life, and knew this kind of thing had happened
before," Hartsell said.

Transporting a student by ambulance depends on the severity of the illness
or injury, Hartsell said. He also defended the decision not to contact the
police.

"At the time this happened, it was dealt with as a health problem and not a
drug problem," he said. "That's why the police weren't called."

Hartsell said he did not feel the School Board should re-open the
investigation.

"I don't think we did anything wrong. In my opinion, it was handled
correctly. Where there flaws? No."

Those answers may not be enough for some members of the city council,
however. Council members Tom Chappell, Don Hall, Frank Jones and Dick
Carter, as well as Mayor Clif Knight, all attended Monday's work session.
Chappell and Hall have voiced their support for the board and Hartsell, but
Jones, Carter and Councilman Allen Stoner have called for Hartsell to
retire and for Board President Susan Puckett to resign. Knight said he was
considering Hartsell's answers before he made his decision.

The council has threatened to take a vote of no confidence for the board
and Hartsell and though it has no direct control over the board, it would
further tarnish a group that's taken a beating as result of the incident.
The city council is currently in the process of interviewing prospective
school board members as it considers its next appointment.