Board adopts drug policy revisions

BY DANIELLE MEDINA

Correspondent

Brick high school students who possess campus parking permits will be randomly tested for drugs under a revised district policy.

The Board of Education unanimously adopted the revised policy at last Thursday night’s meeting, with no public comments on the issue.

The original policy, adopted in August 1998, allowed for the testing of students who participated in extracurricular activities where a physical examination is required.

Under the revised policy, school officials will now be permitted to randomly test between 3 and 10 percent of student drivers and student athletes weekly. Although the policy takes effect immediately, there will be a grace period for students who do not wish to be subjected to the testing to turn in their parking permits.

Only seniors at both Brick Township High School and Brick Township Memorial High School are eligible for parking permits.

In a related policy change, the board voted 5-1 to allow school principals and the student conduct committee to use their own discretion in lowering punishment levels for students in violation of the code of conduct. Students can be found in violation of the code of conduct for using drugs and/or alcohol, or for being in the company of individuals who are using them.

Under the original anti-substance use and student conduct policy, school officials were to be supplied with information on code of conduct violations that occurred off school grounds by the police department. However, the Brick Police Department has been unsure as to what information it can relay to the board because of privacy issues regarding juveniles.

"We’re not getting the level of information we were told we were going to get," said board President Dr. William P. Boyan.

Boyan said he considered the policy flawed, but better than the original policy.

Board member Brian DeLuca disagreed and said he was voting against the revised policy because the manner in which the board receives information is unreliable.

"If it’s off school grounds, let parents handle it," DeLuca said.

However, Boyan said the policy supports parents and doesn’t interfere with their duties.

"We’re supplementing the hard work parents do," Boyan said.

The board also voted 6-0 to change the policy on doctors’ examinations for students thought to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. An exam will now be required by the end of the school day and the physician will also be required to complete an approved district form and return it to the school within 24 hours. The previous policy made no mention of when a doctor’s appointment had to be made or when the form had to be returned.

The board also adopted a policy regarding unpaid volunteer coaches, allowing a person with fewer than 60 college credits to coach, provided they meet the board’s other criteria. The 60-credit mark was one of the requirements a volunteer needed to meet in order to serve in the district.