“If there are no drugs in town, there are none in school. Before any drugs get through the school door, they first must be available in the community.” At the August school board meeting, the issue of student drug use was addressed. A parent came to the board meeting stating that it is her belief, after talking with her son, that as many as 95 percent of his classmates are involved in illegal drug use. This parent was addressing a concern about the well being, safety, and education of her son. She has every right to be concerned, as illegal drug use threatens not only our educational mission, but the very foundations of our family and community structure.

I am not sure whether 95 percent of all students are actively involved in illegal drug use, but I am relatively certain that 95 percent of all high school aged youth know where, how, and have the ability to obtain a variety of illegal drugs in this community. It is the nature of youth to experiment. Unfortunately, experimenting with drug use can have lasting effects.

One-and-a-half years ago, we administered a student survey. At that time, students indicated that approximately 25 percent were illegally using drugs or alcohol on a weekly basis. Across the entire country – not just in St. Ignace – illegal drugs and their availability have reached epidemic proportions. Forty years ago, drugs were not readily available. Today they are very available, and regardless what the older generation says, many of the younger generation are going to experiment with some of them at some time in their youth. If we believe what we are told by our surveys, there is a ready supply of marijuana, prescription drugs, and other drugs. Any youth that desires to do so, knows who to contact to obtain whatever he or she wants.

We as parents don’t want our children exposed to drugs. We as a school don’t want them in the school. We know that when young people become entangled in regular drug or alcohol use, they are more likely to get into trouble with the law, they lose interest in school, and the patterns in their brain that facilitate learning become altered. They become what we term “at risk students.”

As we look at how we can best address this problem, it is important to realize that when we say that the school has a drug problem, we are perhaps misstating the problem. Consider this: “If there are no drugs in town, there are none in school. Before any drugs get through the school door, they first must be available in the community.”

The school is a reflection of the larger community. A student who comes to school using or possessing drugs is symptomatic of a greater community problem. And this issue is not unique to us. It is nationwide. Even if you don’t go to school, if you live and reside in a community you are going to be exposed to the effects and pressures of illegal drugs.

While at school, students are supervised quite closely most of the time. There is very little evidence that much illegal drug use occurs at school. What is far more likely to occur is a drug transaction or arrangement for a transaction to occur.

As a school, we are aware that this problem exists and have, over the years, taken action. What we have done to date includes: 1) developing and integrating an extensive drug alcohol component in our health education programs; 2) bringing in outside resources, such as DARE, to address our youth about the dangers of drug and alcohol use; 3) providing in-service with our teaching staff to give them more knowledge about the dangers involved, as well as how to detect students who may be involved in substance abuse; 4) utilizing the State Police drug dog to sniff student lockers and cars in the parking lot; 5) closing the campus at noon time to lessen opportunity for such actions to occur as well as to provide more supervision.

As a method of taking further action, we are looking at the legal issues that surround random searches and drug tests. The consequences of using, possessing, or selling drugs while at school are as follows: Students who are caught possessing or using drugs are suspended from school for at least five days and must undergo a drug education program. A second offense would result in expulsion from school for the remainder of the year. Students who sell drugs are expelled from school on the first offense.

As a school system, we need to do whatever it is that is possible to help ensure that no drugs come through our doors. Regardless of what we do as a school system, it does not address the bigger issue of what happens out on the streets, at work, in the restaurant, at the movies, or anywhere else in the community. The ultimate solution is that we need drugs out of our community. Until then, they will be a part of the growing up experience. This is something that no one wants to see.

Our high school improvement committee is looking for suggestions on ways to further address this problem. We are looking for people that are interested in volunteering their thoughts, time, and energy to the cause of solving the problem. If you are interested in helping, the next high school improvement committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 14 ,at 3:30 p.m.. The meeting will be held in the high school library.