Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, August 10, 1995                   TAG: 9508100088
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KIMBERLY N. MARTIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SALEM WANTS TO GET TOUGH ON DRUGS IN SCHOOL

And it may soon have more than just words with which to make its point.

The board on Tuesday asked administrators to rewrite school system policy to treat drug possession, drug distribution and the possession of a firearm in the same way.

That would mean an automatic 10-day suspension and a recommendation for expulsion for the first offense.

Salem's current drug and alcohol possession policy, as outlined in the student handbook, calls for suspension for the first offense and expulsion for the second offense.

The change, if approved, would make Salem's policy on student drug possession the toughest in the valley.

"You have to take a stand. Are you for drugs and alcohol or are you against them?" said board member Glenn Thornhill. "Alcohol, drugs, guns and violence are interchangeable. .. and I'd like to see them treated the same."

It was Thornhill who spearheaded a discussion of a revamped drug policy at the June school board meeting. The result was Tuesday's report from Director of Instruction Joe Kirby.

Kirby was instructed by the board to study other schools' policies. What he found was everything ranging from random drug testing of athletes and mandatory expulsion in Lynchburg to suspension in Roanoke and Roanoke County.

After hearing Kirby's report, Salem Superintendent Wayne Tripp voiced his support for Thornhill's "get tough" proposal.

"I'm of the opinion that the use of drugs and alcohol is on the rise," Tripp said. "I think we have a problem. It's a societal problem, not a Salem High School problem."

But not everyone was in agreement with abandoning the current policy.

"I'm not in favor of it. There will always be some young person out there who will make a mistake," said board member Gerald Pace. The school will "not let that person recover if we have that zero tolerance policy in effect."

Kirby, a former middle school vice principal, shared his concern.

"Kids at middle school would do some stupid things sometimes to impress their friends," Kirby said. "I want to limit the use of drugs and alcohol, but I'd like some leeway so that we can consider extenuating circumstances."

But the policy will allow some discretion, Tripp said. As with all recommended expulsions, the board will make the final decision.

If approved on first reading at the board's next meeting, the policy would get a second reading before taking effect.

In the future, Tripp said, the administration will attempt to implement a similar no-tolerance policy for violence. However, they must first define what they consider egregious.

In other action, the board:

Decided to study block scheduling for Salem High School. Block scheduling allows schools to increase instructional time, sometimes to as much as 90 minutes per class. The board scheduled a Sept. 19 work session on the issue. Tripp said he would like the board to make a decision by January on whether to implement block scheduling.

Approved Finance Director Frank Turk's year-end financial report. The school board began the 1994-1995 budget year with a carry-over balance of about $950,000. This year the general fund began with a carry-over balance of $155,000. "It's the smallest it's ever been, and we're going to have to be very careful as we move through the 1995-96 year," Turk said.