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Alcohol tests check use at school events
(by Sali McSherry - October 29, 2008)
Alcohol tests check use at school events
By SALI McSHERRY
No students tested positive for alcohol at the Chagrin Falls homecoming dance earlier this month, according to School Superintendent Stephen Thompson said.
It was the first school-sponsored event in which alcohol-detection devices were used. All students who attended the dance were required to submit to the test.
"The kids were terrific and complied without complaint. I feel like it is a positive step in the right direction," Mr. Thompson said.
At the start of this school year, there was widespread alcohol consumption at the opening football game, and three students were suspended, according to Mr. Thompson.
At the start of the 2007-2008 school year, seven student athletes were suspended due to alcohol consumption. At all the dances held that year, Mr. Thompson said, there were students who were suspended for the same offense. At the prom last spring, five students were suspended, and an estimated 60 percent had consumed alcohol before the dance, he said.
Last spring, the Chagrin Falls School Board approved a policy giving administrators the authority to use alcohol-detection devices. On the recommendation of Mr. Thompson and high school Principal Kert Boedicker, it was decided to implement their use.
"It is our hope that, with this policy in place, peer pressure will be eliminated for those students who do not want to drink," they said in a letter to parents.
Any student, during a typical school day or when attending any other school-sponsored event, can be required to submit to a test, if alcohol use is suspected. Any student testing positive for alcohol consumption would receive a 10-day, out-of-school suspension for the first offense. It could be reduced to a five-day suspension upon completion of a professional alcohol assessment. The student also would be referred to local law enforcement, Mr. Thompson said.
In a survey of Chagrin Falls student leaders, students agreed that there was a drinking problem and estimated that 60 percent were under the influence of alcohol at school events such as games and dances.
When asked why students drink at school functions, according to the survey, they said it was widely accepted, it was part of the tradition, school staff looked the other way, there was a lack of parental oversight, and there was no fear of punishment because of light penalties.
The breath-detection device is called the Alco-Sensor FST, which includes a passive, non-invasive feature that enables the instrument to test for the presence of alcohol. The person being tested speaks in the direction of the device. Breath-detection strips are also an effective testing method, according to a presentation given to parents by the school district. The tool provides results in two to four minutes at an average of 99.8 percent accuracy, according to the report.
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