Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 14, 1993 TAG: 9301140272
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
STUDENTS WANT TO TAKE CHANCE
Salem High School's post-prom party committee wanted a little incentive for students to linger at the school's after-prom gala this spring.How about games of chance, some students suggested? A little roulette, perhaps some blackjack, maybe a wheel of fortune. No real money would change hands, just bogus bills or tokens in exchange for small prizes.
No, Superintendent Wayne Tripp said, as he and others before him have said to similar requests for the past four years. The student-conduct code prohibits gambling at school activities.
But, committee members wanted to know, does playing games of chance with fake money for a small prize at a free event constitute gambling? They sought a legal opinion from Salem Commonwealth's Attorney Fred King, who told them that as long as no one has to pay for a chance to win, it's not "gambling."
Tuesday, the student committee and parent adviser Cathy Powell went before the School Board, armed with what they hoped would be convincing arguments.
The post-prom games would be free, they told the board. Party-goers would use play money or tokens. Winners would get a small prize.
The games would not be a featured activity but would add to the evening's entertainment, committee members said.
And, they pointed out, two Roanoke high schools and one in Roanoke County have included games of chance at their post-prom parties, and the games were a hit.
It could be a month before the committee finds out whether the School Board or school administration will allow the games of chance.
Wednesday, Tripp said he wanted to discuss the matter with board members and Salem High School Principal John Hall before making a final decision.
"It wasn't solely a policy of the student-conduct code," Tripp said. "We may not want to promote the appearance of gambling and gambling behavior on the part of the students."
Salem High's post-prom party - a 12:30 to 4 a.m. event - drew 475 students last year. This will be its sixth year. A Moose lodge has donated its club each year for the event, and businesses and public service organizations donate the prizes. The event's purpose is to provide after-prom entertainment as an alternative to partying at a motel or private home.
The party committee was looking for ways to encourage students to stay for the entire event.
"We've had magic shows, a comedian," said Powell. "We've about run the gamut of what to entertain them with. We kind of wanted to do something different."
But "different" this time may have crossed school administrators' boundaries of acceptable activity.
"Do we want to sanction games of chance - or gambling - as appropriate for young people?" Tripp asked. "On one hand, we're not talking about Las Vegas here. We're talking about a fairly small-scale activity.
"But I'm not sure it's the image I want to promote of the school."
Some of the students said they weren't sure how their presentation would be perceived in a "conservative" city. "But we wanted to try to fight it," said Matt Hatfield, a junior.
Student-conduct codes in Roanoke and Roanoke County have similar policies prohibiting gambling at school activities.
"Under our rule, if gambling would disrupt school, it would be a violation of the student-conduct code," said Jim Gallion, director of administration for the county schools. "We would probably use the legal definition of gambling, where money was a part of chance and done in such a way to disrupt school."
Gallion said games of chance at post-prom parties never have been brought to county school administrators as a concern.
"It seems it hasn't been a problem at this point," he said.