Educators adopt more tolerant drug policy

While still recognizing the developmental dangers posed by teen drug use and preserving a punitive system to be administered when necessary, officials indicated society’s evolving view of marijuana is reflected at schools too.

“I think it is going hand in hand. There is more tolerance. But there’s also an intolerance for excluding kids from education. There’s a larger effort to keep kids in school,” said Don Scatena, San Mateo Union High School District’s director of Student Services.

The district’s new drug policy nods to Scatena’s sentiment, as students who may have previously been immediately suspended after getting caught with pot at school are now required to enroll in after-school drug education program.

Under a system implemented last fall, first offenders are mandated to enroll in the program offering 12 hours of intensive drug awareness instruction offered in two-hour sessions spread across six weeks.

The program, currently serving about 200 high schoolers, was established with a focus on keeping students at school and enrolled in classes rather than suspending them, which studies show offers limited academic benefits for students.

“Just suspending a kid for being caught with a substance is not necessarily the best practice,” said Karen Li, Sequoia Union High School District’s wellness coordinator.

Li’s district’s policy is not yet centralized, she said, as officials are allowing each campus to develop a system best accommodating their school community with an eye on identifying the most effective drug education methods. Generally though, she too said educators are moving away from a solely punitive model.

“It’s a much bigger lens we are looking through, rather than saying ‘you are busted. You are kicked out of school,’” said Li.

The efforts of each school site range from restorative justice programs offered at Menlo-Atherton High School, to motivational interviews conducted at Sequoia High School by teachers seeking to help students better analyze their behavior.

At Woodside High School, doctor Jennifer Golick addressed students Wednesday, Feb. 28, with an emphasis on helping the teens understand the ways marijuana can harm their development.

Golick’s speech topics vary from assessing the drug’s addictive qualities to emphasizing the increased potency of the marijuana more readily available today than in eras past, said Li.

But even when illustrating pot’s potential dangers, Li said the conversation with students is no longer “just say no.” Instead, research indicates building an educational program around neuroscience can be most impactful for teens considering smoking pot, she said.

“Understanding that the effects on your brain are going to be heightened because of where your brain development is at, because the decision is yours,” said Li.

She added though that educators primarily emphasize early intervention to dissuade students from smoking marijuana, or doing other drugs.

“Our goal is to prevent the use. It’s illegal for those under 21 in California. We want to prevent that situation. The in-between area is harm reduction,” she said.

To round out the district’s program, Li said support is offered to educators and parents too with an understanding that all parties should participate for the greatest effectiveness. The same effort exists in Scatena’s district, as parents are expected to take one of the after-school sessions with their children.

Sequoia Union High School District officials invited medical experts to offer classes for parents concerned about the effects of marijuana legalization following voters approving Proposition 64, which took hold in January. Professional development trainings exist for teachers too, better equipping them to work with students in this new era, said Li.

Since the San Mateo Union High School District drug education program hosted at San Mateo and Mills high schools is still in its burgeoning stages, Scatena said it is too early to gauge its effectiveness. He said though ultimately recidivism rates among those enrolled will be a useful means of tracking success.

He noted while the program brings a heightened emphasis on education, school officials have not entirely abandoned discipline. Those who continuously violate district drug policy will face potential suspensions, he said, while officials consider requiring enrollment in more intensive intervention programs.

“The first one is in lieu of suspension. The next is looking at suspension and looking at another program,” he said, of the approach for recidivists.

The goal though is clear — officials are seeking a new approach to helping students better cope with marijuana and other drug issues.

“It’s not a punitive event. It’s more of an educational event,” said Li.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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