STUDENT DRUG INCIDENTS INCREASE

Fewer Expelled, Caught With Guns

The number of Kentucky students caught with firearms at school fell during
the 2000-2001 school year, as did the number of youngsters expelled.

But drug-related incidents and the number of students suspended from school
rose during that period, according to a report being released this morning
by the Kentucky Center for School Safety.

Jon Akers, center director, hopes the report, which shows what consequences
students faced for breaking legal and board-imposed rules, will kick off
discussion around the state.

"We need to be in dialogue about how we can better raise our children," he
said. "It's not just a school issue, it's a community issue."

The number of reported drug incidents in Kentucky schools jumped from 2,036
in 1999-2000 to 2,987 in 2000-2001, an increase of 47 percent.

"Is this the result of more students using drugs? Or are we doing a better
job of supervising students and catching them?" Akers asked. Either way,
juvenile-justice and mental health experts probably will be part of the
solution, he said.

The center will increase training for teachers and principals in spotting
and preventing drug abuse.

Another issue that demands attention, Akers said, is the disproportionate
number of African-American and male students in the data. School, cultural,
and societal influences might contribute to that imbalance, he said.

Akers was pleased to see that fewer than 7 percent of Kentucky students
faced disciplinary action last year: "People think kids are getting worse,
but the data doesn't show that. Looking for a reason to celebrate?
Ninety-three percent of students were not involved in disciplinary issues."

The Center for School Safety started collecting comprehensive data on
school safety in 1999.