Approved by the Board of Trustees, February 29, 1996
Updated August 2006
Policy and Rationale
The possession, use, or sale of alcohol, marijuana, or any illegal narcotic substance, or any paraphernalia or equipment associated with the use of these substances is not permitted on school grounds at any time, nor at off-campus events sponsored by the school.
In addition to the physical and psychological dangers resulting from drug use, a student under the influence of marijuana, illegal drugs, or alcohol is not prepared to attend to academic activities, athletics, or extra-curricular clubs. Without question there is an absolute incompatibility between the state of mind needed for attention to scholastic activity and that state of mind influenced to any degree by the use of alcohol or drugs. Additionally, students who bring alcohol or drugs on campus or who come to school under the influence of alcohol or drugs have violated the trust of the school community and impaired the ability of the school to carry out its mission.
The school also believes that experimenting with marijuana, alcohol, or other illegal drugs on evenings or weekends is dangerous and potentially harmful to children and adolescents. The extended use of these substances will harm the lungs and other organs, impair mental functions, weaken the ability to concentrate and think, and significantly affect motivation and the ability to accomplish school work.
Purpose and Intent of Disciplinary and Guidance Actions
The Park School has developed a series of actions for the school, the student, and his/her family to take when a student has possessed, used, or sold alcohol or illegal drugs on school grounds. The purpose of the series of actions is to send a powerful message that the use of illegal substances is not tolerated at any level. Secondly, but certainly equally important, the policy and the disciplinary and guidance actions are intended to generate a school climate that will engage the broad school community in comprehensive and thoughtful efforts to stop the use of alcohol and illegal drugs by adolescents.
Many schools state that a student who uses or sells illegal drugs on school grounds will be expelled from school. The Park School recognizes that in some cases dismissal from the student body may be necessary. The Park School also recognizes, however, that a wider range of actions is needed for several reasons. First, there is a significant difference between the selling of illegal drugs on campus by an older adolescent and a single purchase of drugs by a young adolescent experimenting for the first time. Both actions require strong action, but should also be contoured to the individual student's specific conduct and situation.
Secondly, severe punishment is not a sufficient response to combat comprehensively the use of alcohol and illegal drugs by adolescents. Long-term suspension or expulsion from school are often stated as penalties in order to send a message that the use of alcohol and illegal drugs is not tolerated. The logic implies that if the consequence is severe enough and the message unequivocal, then students won't use illegal drugs on school grounds. As sound and just as this policy may be, it has not been a sufficient nor completely effective response to the use of marijuana and other illegal drugs by adolescents. There is probably not a high school in the country, private or public, where there is no use of alcohol or illegal drugs. This use continues despite repeated and extensive drug education programs and the enforcement of severe penalties.
Why are these penalties not sufficient to prevent our children and adolescents from experimenting with and using drugs and alcohol? First, some adolescents just do not believe that occasional use and/or just experimenting with marijuana or alcohol is really dangerous or habit forming. While there is extensive and valid information to demonstrate the dangers of occasional use and experimentation, especially in early adolescence, some adolescents just don't accept the reality of the dangers. Secondly, when the penalties for use are so severe and the adolescent culture has such a taboo against "ratting" on a friend, adolescents keep silent when their friends become involved with drugs.
A new approach was implemented in September 2002, which we hope will help to dispel this taboo. The Non-Disciplinary Assistance Group is composed of faculty available to talk to students and teachers about concerns related to alcohol and other drugs as a health, not a disciplinary, issue. The group's goal is to be one of the many resources available at Park that assist in the preservation of the health and well-being of the Park Upper School community. It deals only with identification, prevention, and intervention, and gives Upper School students and teachers a consistent place to take their concerns about student alcohol and other drug use. Referral sources are kept entirely confidential; anonymous referrals are not considered. The advisor of a referred student may be involved upon request of the student, or when the group feels there is a strong cause for concern. Likewise, the parents are notified as soon as the group has substantial concerns about a child.
The Park School's policy and range of disciplinary and guidance actions take a very strong and clear stand against the use of illegal drugs and alcohol. A series of actions has been developed that the school may offer to the family and to the student who has violated the policy. The actions are designed to educate and change the behavior of the student. The policy is also intended to provide a climate at The Park School that would enable students and adults to discuss more openly the actual or potential use of drugs or alcohol. A policy that allows students to learn from their mistakes and to be reintegrated into the school community, a policy that provides an alternative to the most extreme consequences will enable students to discuss more candidly the actual situation. We intend to develop an open and trusting climate that we hope will encourage adolescents to work cooperatively with adults, parents, and teachers to combat effectively the use of alcohol and illegal drugs.
The Park School's policy must be shaped to change the status quo: one that has adults stating the rules and consequences, while adolescents talk only among themselves and remain unconvinced about the real effects of abusing illegal drugs and alcohol. We must find a way to bridge the gap and open real communication. A basic tenet of The Park School's philosophy recognizes the complexity of human growth and presents us with a challenge:
It is the objective of the school to encourage discipline and student behavior based on reason, on a cooperative sense of community, and on a sympathetic understanding of the rights and needs of others. This approach, rejecting arbitrary authority and prescriptive codes, creates opportunities for moral and social growth and allows each student to acquire internalized discipline, autonomy, and self-control.
These are extremely powerful principles which we embrace without sentimentality or naiveté. Strong and precise action is required to nurture discipline. The alternative to "arbitrary authority and prescriptive codes" is not permissiveness nor absentminded relativism. The alternative is a rigorous regimen of action that involves the student in extraordinary effort and evokes personal resourcefulness. These actions in turn engage and energize the school community - students, teachers, and parents - to interact powerfully with students to shape and nurture productive behavior and self-discipline. This energized and involved community thus provides powerful supports for complex human growth.
Disciplinary and Guidance Actions
When a student is found to have possessed, used, or sold alcohol, marijuana, or other illegal narcotic substances, or any paraphernalia or equipment associated with the use of these substances on school grounds or during a school-sponsored event off campus, the school administration will consider long-term suspension, expulsion from school, or a series of educational and guidance actions. The school administration retains the absolute right to determine what plan of action may be offered to the student and his/her family.
A plan of disciplinary, educational and guidance actions, as an alternative to long-term suspension or expulsion from school, may be offered if the student and his/her family express a clear willingness to engage in a strenuous regimen of activities designed to understand the meaning and implications of the behavior and to change irrevocably the behavior. The school must be absolutely convinced that the student will never again use alcohol or illegal drugs on school grounds. In some cases evidence that the student is not using illegal drugs off campus will also be required.
A second violation of the policy on the use of alcohol and illegal narcotic substances will result in expulsion from The Park School.
The plan of action will be developed in consultation with the school administration, the student, and his/her family. The plan of action will be appropriate to the age of the student and to the specific behavior that violated the policy; not all of the components listed below will be used in every case. Students who sell alcohol or illegal drugs on campus, however, will be required to complete all of the components of the Action Plan as described below. The school administration has the absolute right to determine the specific final components of the plan; the school administration also has the absolute right to determine if the student has satisfactorily completed the requirements of the plan. Re-admission to The Park School after a violation of the alcohol and illegal drug policy is at the sole discretion of The Park School.
COMPONENTS OF THE ACTION PLAN
- Suspension from School
After a determination has been made that the student has violated the policy against the use of alcohol or illegal drugs, he/she will be suspended from school for a time period sufficient to develop the plan, agree to and commit to the plan, and begin the implementation of the plan.
Suspension from Arts, Athletics and Extra-Curricular Activities
- Arts
If the student at the time of suspension is a member of a music performance group (e.g. Eightnotes, Vocal Chords, Parksingers, Jazz Ensemble, String Ensemble), he/she will not be permitted to perform in public concerts for the remainder of the semester or six weeks, which ever is longer. He/She will be encouraged to continue as a member of the group and participate fully in all rehearsals.
If the student at the time of suspension is a member of a theater production currently in rehearsal, he/she will not be permitted to perform in the public performance of that production. He/She will be encouraged to continue as a member of the group. He/She will not be permitted to audition and be cast in a theater production for the remainder of the semester.
If the student during the semester of suspension is preparing an exhibition of his/her visual art works, he/she will not be permitted to mount that exhibition.
Athletics
If the student at the time of suspension is a member of an athletic team, he/she will not be permitted to play in an interscholastic game for the remainder of the athletic season or six weeks, which ever is longer. He/She will be encouraged to continue as a member of the team and participate fully in all practices.
Student Activities
If the student at the time of suspension is serving in a leadership position in a major activity (e.g. Yearbook, Postscript), or in an activity that performs in public (e.g. Mock Trial, Math League, Model U.N.), he/she will be suspended from that leadership position or not permitted to perform in public for that activity for the remainder of the semester or six weeks, which ever is longer. He/She will be encouraged to continue as a member of the activity and participate fully in all practices and rehearsals.
The decision about the length of suspension from school and suspension from public performances is made based on the specific situation, the specific misbehavior, the age of the student and any other considerations the administration considers relevant and important. The decision of the school administration is final and made at the sole discretion and judgment of the school administration.
Assessment and Evaluation
- The student will voluntarily enter a course of counseling appropriate to the findings of the evaluation. The appropriate course of counseling will be mutually determined by the student, parents, and school administration. The confidential information from the evaluation will not be sent to the school. Only the evaluator's recommendations must be shared.
Counseling
- The student will voluntarily enter a course of counseling appropriate to the findings of the evaluation. The appropriate course of counseling will be mutually determined by the student, parents, and school administration. The counselor will send to the school regular confidential reports of the progress of counseling. The school is interested in regular attendance and good faith efforts on the part of the student and his/her family.
Research Project
- The student will conduct a research project to learn about the effects of illegal drug use or alcohol on an individual, his/her family, and society in general. The scope of the project will be appropriate to the age of the student. In addition to academic research concluding with a written research report, the student will visit and observe jails, courthouses, or other appropriate sites or agencies. The student will write a biographical essay of a person involved with drugs or alcohol whom he/she has met and interviewed.
Physical and Personal Challenge
- The student will voluntarily enter into and complete a physical and personal challenge that results in actual accomplishment at a demanding level. Examples of such a challenge are: Outward Bound, wilderness camping, meditation, karate, construction of a building, artistic performance, or piece of work. The challenge is intended to provide direct, concrete experience with risk, excitement, joy, companionship, effort, perseverance, accomplishment, and personal fulfillment without the use of illegal drugs and alcohol.
Community Service
- The student will participate in a project or organization to "make up" for what was done wrong or "restore" what was harmed. Participation should be voluntary and substantial. It will extend over a period of time. The intent is for the student to experience how a person can be significantly affected by helping others.
Student Assistance Program or Peer Mediation
- The student will participate in a program at The Park School to help other students examine their potential or actual use of illegal drugs or alcohol in a confidential process.
Implementation and Schedule
The student may be re-admitted to school following consideration by the administration of:
- Declaration of a good faith effort to develop and complete a plan
- Development of a specific and detailed plan
- Completion of phases I and II and the beginning of phase III
