After an executive session of the Tyrone Area School Board to discuss the offense, four Tyrone High School seniors have been expelled for 20 days because of a violation of the new drug awareness policy the Tyrone School District adopted in August.
In his motion before the board, Public and Student Relations chair Bill Hartsock said, “in the form of a motion, I recommend we accept the administration’s recommendation for discipline of four senior students who were found in violation of the district drug awareness policy. The recommendation is acceptance of legal agreement negotiated between the superintendent, parents and students as well as verbally stated standard conditions.
“The first part is an expulsion for 20 days, with the 10-day suspension being part of the expulsion. The expulsion begins August 28 and the students can return to school on September 26. Alternative education will be provided during the expulsion with arrangements made through the high school attendance office. Students and parents concur with the irrevocable and voluntary permission to random drug testing at the discretion of the school administration for the 2003-04 school year.”
The motion was seconded by board member Pete Dutrow.
Dr. William Miller, explained the situation to the board and the observers in attendance.
“Four students were observed passing a pipe in a blue car operated by one of the students on August 27,” said Miller. “They admitted to having used marijuana by inhaling from a pipe prior to coming to school. According to our policy, we had the right and did request that they submit to urinalysis testing by the hospital. They were tested for all drug usage and they tested positive for marijuana which is a violation of the school’s drug awareness policy and they were suspended beginning August 28.
“As we looked at this case, we looked to balance the punitive measure with a monitoring measure,” Miller continued. “Punitive being the 20-day expulsion period. Of course they are required to be involved with the Student Assistance Program (SAP) and that type of corrective action upon their return. In addition, they had to agree in this legal release to submit to drug testing at anytime during the year. It doesn’t have to be a reasonable suspicion on our part. It is at anytime, they could be tested by the district. It could be 10 times, it could be 20 times, it could be 40 times. There is no number figure here. Obviously, the student is given the chance to clean up their act during their senior year. They signed the agreement, their parents signed the agreement and the board has it for approval. If any of the students test positive at anytime during the year, the student will come back to the board for expulsion. It will come straight before the board.”
The board voted unanimously to approve the punishment.
Miller believes that this is sending a message.
“The message we are trying to send to the students is we are taking this situation seriously,” said Miller. “If we have reasonable suspicion, we will test them. We want the students to remain clean and we will deal with each case separately as it comes before the administration.”
