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OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS
EASTON, REDDING AND REGION 9 SCHOOL DISTRICTS
To: Region
9 Board of Education
Easton Board of Education
Redding Board of Education
From: Allen
Fossbender
Subj:
Drug and Alcohol Prevention Task Force
Date: June 21, 2005
ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE
During
the 2004-2005 school year, there has been a pronounced increase in the
number of drug-related violations committed by students on the campus of
Joel Barlow High School. Nineteen students have been disciplined because
they either possessed marijuana (9 students), possessed illegally a
prescribed substance (1 student), conspired to distribute a controlled
substance (1 student), were under the influence of a controlled
substance (6 students), or possessed drug paraphernalia (2 students). Of
the 19 students, 11 were arrested, 10 were suspended from school, and
one was expelled from school. All of the students were also excluded
from school extracurricular activities for a minimum of 45 days. In
addition to these 19 students, two high school students were arrested
for drug-related crimes off campus. The two students were subsequently
suspended from school, as permitted by Connecticut State Statutes. The
total of 21 students were in grade 9 (3 students), grade 10 (9
students), grade 11 (3 students), and grade 12 (6 students). In addition
to the drug-related violations at the high school, there was one
drug-related incident involving five students at Helen Keller Middle
School this year.
Not
related to the behaviors described in the previous paragraph, four high
school athletes violated training rules by drinking alcohol. The
drinking took place off campus during non-school hours. The four
students were suspended from participating on their sport teams; two of
the students were removed from related leadership positions. The
disciplinary actions taken to address the training infractions were
consistent with the Joel Barlow High School's Athletic Code of Conduct,
which is signed by the students and one of their parents before the
beginning of the sport season.
In
consideration of the number of drug and alcohol incidents involving
students, I convened a task force of 9 high school students, 4 middle
school students, 6 parents, 2 teachers, 3 school principals, 2 assistant
principals, 1 high school social worker, 1 high school administrative
assistant, the director of student and staff services at Joel Barlow, 2
members of the Easton-Redding Community Coalition, 3 community-based
substance prevention specialists, the chief of the Redding Police
Department, the chief of the Easton Police Department, and the school
resource officer for Easton Public Schools. The names and affiliations
of the 38 members of the Easton, Redding, and Region 9 Task Force are
listed in Appendix A of this memorandum.
CHARGE
OF THE TASK FORCE
The charge of the Task Force was to
assist school administrators and central-office administrators in:
- defining the nature and scope
of drug and alcohol use among students attending Easton, Redding,
and Region 9 Schools,
- identifying current
school-based and community-based substance prevention activities
and measures that are effective,
- reviewing and recommending
school-based and community-based substance prevention activities and
measures that might be effective in ER9 Schools,
- reviewing substance-related
school district policies.
NATURE AND SCOPE OF PROBLEM:
NATIONAL LEVEL
The use
and abuse of drugs and alcohol by adolescents have been a national
problem for more than forty years. Their pervasive use of drugs during
the tumultuous social and political upheavals of the late 1960's and
early 1970's has been well documented. Drug use among adolescents in
subsequent decades receded somewhat; however, it began to increase again
in the 1990's and continued to increase until 1997, at which time it
appears to have leveled off. Since then, according to the National Drug
Intelligence Center (N.B. Attachment B: “Treatment of Adolescents with
Substance Use Disorders), overall adolescent use has been relatively
stable. Despite relatively stable rates of adolescent use, youth surveys
and law enforcement sources indicate that drugs continue to have a
strong presence in schools across the country. State and local law
enforcement agencies in Arizona, California, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,
Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Texas, and
Utah reported in 2001 an increase in drug presence in schools.
According to NDIC, anecdotal reporting from substance abuse counselors
corroborates the presence of drugs in schools, indicating that teens
acquire drugs at school, as well as at home, at parties, and at other
locations. They acquire drugs typically from friends, peers, and family
members; they use them usually after school hours in the afternoon and
evening. The substances with which adolescents first experiment often
are alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, and marijuana. The policy research and
field studies conducted by the National Center on Addiction and
Substance Abuse indicate that a child who reaches the age of 21 without
smoking, using illegal drugs, or abusing alcohol is virtually certain
never to do so (N.B. Appendix C). Furthermore, CASA research indicates
that families, for better or for worse, have the greatest influence on
children's use and abuse of drugs and alcohol.
NATURE AND SCOPE OF PROBLEM:
LOCAL LEVEL
Statistics pertaining to the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol in
Connecticut and, specifically, in Fairfield County are noteworthy.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the State of
Connecticut has the highest adolescent use rate in the nation; the
highest use rate in Connecticut is in Fairfield County. The youngest
average age of initial use of substance in the nation is also in
Fairfield County. These statistics were not surprising to members of
the Task Force. They cited the combustible combination of affluence and
easy access to drugs as a major cause for the use and abuse of drugs and
alcohol by students at Barlow. They also cited peer pressure, boredom,
parental indifference, and the reduced stigma of using drugs. In
addition, they cited pressure to succeed, poor decision making,
inadequate security coverage at the high school, widespread perception
among peers that drinking alcohol is normal, acceptable behavior, and
parents hosting parties where alcohol is served.
When
asked what their perceptions and opinions were about the drug and
alcohol use by adolescents residing in Easton and Redding, members of
the Task Force made the statements below. The statements represent
majority opinion among them:
-
Regardless of Joel Barlow’s excellent reputation, it has the same
challenges with drugs and alcohol as other schools.
- The
drug and alcohol problem in the Easton and Redding communities and
at Joel Barlow is worse than is realized by school officials,
parents, and members of the community.
- The
drug and alcohol problem is a community problem.
- The
most prevalent drugs used by students at the high school are
marijuana, alcohol (often obtained with fake identification), and
prescription drugs that are not prescribed to them (e.g., Vicodan,
Adderal, Ritalin, Valium, OxyContin).
- The
students’ best source for prescription medication (not intended for
their use) is the medicine cabinet at their own homes.
-
There is no profile of the “typical” students who use and abuse
drugs and alcohol; drugs are used and abused by virtually every
category of students, including high achieving students and
varsity-level athletes.
- The
great amount of disposable money that students regularly have and
students’ easy access to drugs are two primary reasons for the
prevalence of drugs among the high school students.
-
Students are experimenting with drugs and alcohol at an earlier age.
Drug experimentation and alcohol use are increasing among middle
school students.
-
Close relationships with parents and siblings are significant
deterrents to drug use.
-
There needs to be greater awareness throughout the Easton and
Redding Communities about drug and alcohol use and abuse among
adolescents.
-
There needs to be more supervision of Joel Barlow students in the
hallways, lavatories, and parking lot, especially during 10-minute
break and lunch periods.
-
Teachers need to be better educated and more aware of drug and
alcohol use among students.
-
Teachers need to be more comfortable in addressing drug-related
issues and associated student behavior.
-
There needs to be a collaborative, sustained effort to address
adolescent drug and alcohol use by school employees, town officials,
parents, area clergy, local police, mental health professionals, and
other individuals in the Greater Easton and Redding Area.
SCHOOL-BASED AND COMMUNITY-BASED MEASURES AND ACTIVITIES
Although
the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol by adolescents in Easton and
Redding represent an ongoing, significant threat to their health and
well-being, the Task Force recognizes that members of the Easton,
Redding, and Region 9 Parent-Teacher Associations, local police
officials, school personnel, the Easton-Redding Community Coalition, the
Regional Youth/Adult Substance Abuse Project, and the Housatonic Valley
Coalition Against Substance Abuses have worked conscientiously to reduce
the use of drugs and alcohol by students. A sample of school-based and
community-based prevention initiatives is listed in Appendix D of this
memorandum. In addition to prevention initiatives, the strong
partnerships between school personnel and mental health specialists,
between school personnel and police officials, and similar working
relationships among professionals in the fields of medicine, psychiatry,
and recreation have improved the quality, coordination, and continuity
of prevention activities and services in the Greater Easton and Redding
Area. It should also be noted that the all three school districts have
systematic, ongoing health education curricula that include units of
instruction pertaining to drugs, alcohol, and appropriate decision
making. These school-based and community-based measures and activities
notwithstanding, it is evident that there is much more work to be done.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TASK FORCE
In light
of the number of drug and alcohol related incidents that has occurred
this year on and off the campus of Joel Barlow High School and in light
of the significant threat that drugs and alcohol pose to children and
adolescents in Easton and Redding, the members of the Task Force make
the following recommendations to the three boards of education:
- In
order to sustain the drug and alcohol prevention initiatives of the
Easton-Redding Community Coalition, request that an administrator
from each middle school and from the high school and other
appropriate school personnel, including school medical health
officials, attend the regularly-scheduled meetings of the coalition.
Enlist representation on the coalition from the park and recreation
departments of both towns, from the Easton Community Center, and
from the police departments, as well as representation from parent
groups, clergy, social workers, and other members of the community.
-
Provide a link on Easton, Redding, and Region 9 PTA’s web sites for
access to the mission and initiatives of the Easton-Redding
Community Coalition.
-
Continue to provide school-based assemblies, forums, dialogues, and
other activities designed to inform students about the dangers of
drug and alcohol use and abuse.
-
Enhance the methods and techniques of communicating to all members
of the school community, especially students, the names and
functions of school personnel with whom they can speak
confidentially about drug and alcohol issues or problems.
- Enhance the middle school and
high school health education curricula with units of instruction
that explain the consequences of drug and alcohol use and abuse more
thoroughly and realistically to students.
-
Increase the middle and high school student recognition programs to
include more acknowledgment of students’ non-academic
accomplishments and contributions.
-
Incorporate an ongoing peer mentoring process in which eighth grade
students are guided by high school student leaders in structured
decision making activities and topic-specific discussions about high
school challenges and opportunities
-
Establish a formal, systematic collaboration among the school
personnel, drug prevention specialists, town personnel, and other
community-based individuals (and agencies) for the distribution of
current drug-related and alcohol-related information to the parents
of middle and high school students.
-
Require all students who participate in extracurricular activities
(e.g., math club, school musical, debate club) to sign a Code of
Conduct, similar to the Athletic Code of Conduct currently required
of all students participating in sports, that specifies concrete,
uniform consequences resulting from drug and alcohol use, including
suspension or expulsion from such activities.
-
Increase the efficacy of school security measures at that high
school by hiring a school resource officer. (The school resource
officer could also serve the elementary school and middle school in
Redding; a school resource officer already serves the elementary
school and middle school in Easton.)
-
Increase positive interactions between police and middle school
students and provide personal safety and drug prevention education
to middle school students by hiring a school resource officer. This
school resource officer could also provide personal safety education
to elementary school students.
-
Provide professional development to middle school and high school
counselors pertaining to adolescent drug and alcohol use and abuse
and related counseling interventions.
-
Provide additional training to high school security staff pertaining
to supervision of students and protection of property.
-
Increase the consequences for violation of high school and middle
school policies related to drugs and alcohol, especially the
consequences for the possession of drugs on campus.
-
Establish an annual procedure for reviewing and updating middle
school and high school policies regarding drugs and alcohol.
-
Increase the presence of high school administrators and teachers in
the hallways during 10-minute break, class breaks, and X-Period.
-
Permit the unscheduled use in the high school of police dogs trained
to detect illegal substances.
-
Incorporate into the Ninth Grade Orientation Program well-designed
discussion groups led by high school student leaders about good
decision making and the dangers of drugs and alcohol and the
associated health and school consequences.
-
Include in the Ninth Grade Mentoring Program structured, periodic
discussions about good decision making and the dangers of drug and
alcohol use and abuse.
CONCLUSION
The
members of the Task Force recognize that the widespread use and abuse of
drugs and alcohol by adolescents is a national problem. Unfortunately,
the statistics on adolescent use and abuse in Fairfield County are
particularly worrisome. The recommendations listed above are intended to
assist the boards of education and school officials in strengthening
prevention and enforcement measures at the middle schools and at the
high school. The fact that the Task Force was convened and that the
problem of drug and alcohol use and abuse of drugs and alcohol was
openly discussed among its 38 members reflects the resolve among school
administrators to take actions to promote the safety and well-being of
students. It is clear that they have, in addition to the support of the
three boards of education, the support of PTA leaders, police officials,
community-based prevention agencies, and other community organizations.
The
problem of adolescent use will require persistent focus and sustained
collaboration among members of our two communities. It will require the
work of many citizens. It will require, most of all, the education and
involvement of parents. It is they who have the most critical influence
on the lives of their children.
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