ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, October 2, 1996             TAG: 9610020061
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL   PAGE: A-1  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: FAIRBORN, OHIO
SOURCE: Cox News Service
NOTE: Below 

DRUG RULE CAUSES PAIN MIDOL CAN'T EASE

THE EIGHTH-GRADE HONOR STUDENT didn't feel well, so she accepted some Midol from a classmate. That resulted in a 10-day suspension and possible 80-day expulsion, her dad said.

A 13-year-old honor student has been suspended for 10 days and recommended for expulsion because she possessed Midol at school, the girl and her father said Monday.

Erica Taylor, an eighth-grader at Baker Junior High School in Fairborn, had perfect attendance last year and has made the honor roll each of the last three years. On Sept. 6, when she started feeling bad at school, she accepted some Midol tablets in a sealed package from a classmate. When an assistant principal found out, Erica was punished under the Fairborn city schools' student code of conduct regarding ``Alcoholic Beverages, Drugs and Narcotics.''

Midol is sold over-the-counter to relieve cramps, headaches and other symptoms related to menstrual periods. It contains acetaminophen - the active pain-relieving ingredient in Tylenol - and caffeine.

Fairborn's drug policy does not distinguish between legal and illegal, or prescription and nonprescription drugs, said Joy Paolo, Fairborn schools' administrative assistant.

``You have to be fair and consistent in applying this policy to every child,'' Paolo said. When students violate the drug policy, ``they need to learn from that,'' she said.

Paolo declined to discuss the specifics of Erica Taylor's punishment, but said the district's ``zero-tolerance'' drug policy is designed to make Fairborn's schools safe and drug-free.

``I think the policy is common sense,'' Paolo said.

But Erica's father, Dan Taylor, said he is astonished, noting that the official ``student discipline referral'' the principal sent home stated the suspension was for ``possession of a controlled substance.''

``For Midol?'' Taylor said. ``That's ridiculous.''

Students who aren't feeling well are supposed to go to the school nurse, Paolo said. Nonprescription drugs are given to students who have a signed permission slip on file. Prescription drugs require a parent's and a physician's written permission.

First-time violators of Fairborn's drug policy can reduce their punishment of 10 days suspension with recommended expulsion to a three-day suspension by taking a drug test. Taylor made an appointment for his daughter's drug test, but later canceled it. The cost was one reason - the initial appointment was $100 and subsequent visits $90 - ``and I didn't know if I wanted her with that caliber of people.'' He also hoped to persuade school officials to reduce the punishment.

But Erica is serving her 10-day suspension, which ends Thursday. And Taylor received a letter from the junior high school's assistant principal, William Howard, and a school counselor on Thursday that the school was ``going ahead with the expulsion process.''

Expulsion decisions are made by Superintendent Steve Clifton, and can be appealed to the School Board, Paolo said. Most drug-related expulsions are for about 80 days, she said.

Erica said two junior high school students accused of selling marijuana went through the drug-evaluation program and had their suspensions reduced to three days. The classmate who gave Erica the Midol also went through the evaluation and had her suspension reduced to three days, Erica said.

In 1992, two 14-year-old junior high school students in nearby Hamilton were suspended for five days after one gave the other two Tylenol pills. The mother of one girl sued, and a judge ruled the suspension illegal. The School Board later cleared the student's record. Her friend, who took the pills, did not challenge her suspension.

Taylor said he intends to submit a permission slip for over-the-counter medicines so his daughter won't have to go through this again.

Erica said she ended up not even taking the Midol that she got from her classmate. She said she just wants to put the ordeal behind her.

``I want to get back to school,'' Erica said. ``I don't want to fail eighth grade.''

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