News & Politics - Girl expelled for having advil

JediBlastoise · 12-05-2003, 07:02 PM

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Bossier School Board upholds Advil expulsion
Girl had over-the-counter pills in purse at school
Melody Brumble / The Times
Posted on December 5, 2003
A student expelled from Parkway High for a year for having Advil, an over-the-counter pain reliever, will not be allowed to return to the school.

Kelly Herpin and daughter Amanda Stiles, a sophomore, appealed the one-year expulsion to a Bossier Parish School Board committee Thursday night, spending about 10 minutes with the board's administrative committee behind closed doors.

The committee and the full board voted unanimously to uphold an administrative decision that Stiles be expelled to the alternative school.

School boards hold such hearings in a closed session, but parents have the right under state law to request that such sessions be open. Herpin didn't make that request but did speak to reporters after the hearing. She left before the board voted on her request but learned of its decision by phone.

"I'm not really sure at this point what we'll do," Herpin said. "I'm going to have to talk to my husband, and we're going to have to make some plans. I'm not sure we could afford a private school. We've been looking at moving to another area."

She would have to sue the School Board to continue fighting the expulsion.

Superintendent Ken Kruithof said after the board meeting that the school system is following a state law that requires a one-year expulsion and being consistent in the system's "zero-tolerance" policy.

But another school official said earlier Thursday that having medication on campus doesn't automatically lead to a one-year expulsion. "After an investigation and a hearing then, if necessary, punishment is administered. It could be no punishment," said Betty McCauley, Bossier schools student services director.

Disciplinary action can range from in-school suspension to placement at the system's alternative school or expulsion from the system. From Aug. 11 through Wednesday, 18 students were sent to the system's alternative school because of possessing "pills," according to a report system officials compiled. However, Kruithof said he didn't know if the category covered nonprescription, prescription and illegal drugs or only nonprescription drugs.

State guidelines define medication as "all prescription and nonprescription drugs," McCauley said Thursday afternoon. McCauley hears discipline appeals from parents dissatisfied with discipline imposed by school principals.

McCauley declined comment after the hearing, referring questions to Kruithof. So did District 11 board member Gary Dowden, who heads the administrative committee.

Kruithof didn't respond directly to questions about McCauley's statements but emphasized that state law requires a one-year expulsion.

Herpin considers Stiles an "average student" in both grades and behavior but said Stiles never got in serious enough trouble to warrant an expulsion. Kruithof said Stiles had other disciplinary incidents in the past but said he didn't know if they resulted in suspensions.

The search of Stiles' purse that turned up the medication came after a tip from a teacher about a student smoking at school. Herpin said her daughter was part of a group that was searched in response to the tip.

Kruithof said a teacher identifed Stiles as the student smoking a cigarette and that Stiles ran into a restroom, where a teacher searched only her purse.

No cigarettes or lighters were found. Stiles was not disciplined for tobacco-related violations.

Students caught smoking usually are suspended.

"I think a one-year expulsion for an over-the-counter medicine is pretty severe," Herpin said.

Stiles said she carried the medicine in her purse because she got frequent headaches.

"I just never thought about the fact that I could be searched. I think we're old enough to know how many (pills) we can take without overdosing or being in danger."

can someone say overkill? i mean seriously, the students get suspended for smoking but expelled for a year for having over the counter medicine!

[ 12-05-2003: Message edited JediBlastoise ]

Spooky Spice · 12-05-2003, 07:30 PM

We weren't allowed to have Advil or Tylonal w/ us @ school (we got it from the nurse) and we weren't allowed to have cigarrettes, either--but I don't think we could get expelled for it!!! I do think it's overkill. If she was given detention and told not to carry it w/ her again, then fine. But explusion is over the top!

Timeo · 12-05-2003, 09:33 PM

Ummm...what state does this fascist school board reside in?

mh67511 · 12-05-2003, 09:42 PM

I understand why schools don't allow it; some kid some day would overdose and the parents would blame the school. Especially in this country where people are ALWAYS looking for SOMEONE ELSE to blame.

But I always carried OTC medicine with me, most kids that I know did.

Expelling her was so extreme though! Even suspension, maybe detention?

Katis · 12-05-2003, 10:23 PM

WTF? That is completely outrageous. Zero-Tolerence can kiss my @$$.

aldebaran · 12-05-2003, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Katis:
<STRONG>WTF? That is completely outrageous. Zero-Tolerence can kiss my @$$.</STRONG>

AMEN, sister! Zero tolerance = zero common sense.

Friends4ever7 · 12-05-2003, 10:37 PM

dude its just freaking Advil~!~ everyone probably has one at their house... They need to get over the fact that maybe the girl had a headache or that she was feeling sick... but at least she went to schoo... although that didnt do her very good anyway [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Stupid overregulation of rules

[img]smilies/love.gif[/img]Sam

AlexEvans · 12-05-2003, 10:47 PM

Incredible. I can't believe they still haven't backed down.

I always had tylenol in my schoolbag when I was in high school. Even in grade school I never went anywhere without my inhaler (for asthma), and there was a girl in my class with medication for bee stings.

It would not be fine if she was told not to take medication to school. She has the right to get an education. There are people who get headaches frequently enough that getting an education would not be possible without occasional medication - and how can you prove a particular person isn't one of them? Let alone all the other drugs, some of which students need instant access to at all times.

The policy needs to be scrapped. The board should be completely changed at the next election.

If they're worried about being sued, what about when someone dies of an allergic reaction because they weren't allowed to have their medication?

[img]smilies/abduct.gif[/img] [img]smilies/read.gif[/img]

Katis · 12-05-2003, 10:49 PM

Are students supposed to go to the nurse every time they have an ache or pain? I mean it's high school. There would be a line down the hall of kids waiting to get permission to take something for a headache, a hangover, or cramps. Half of them would give up and go home to get something and then where would they be? So, so stupid.

Gavrock · 12-06-2003, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Katis:
<STRONG>Are students supposed to go to the nurse every time they have an ache or pain? I mean it's high school. </STRONG>

In my high school, yes you were. Except we had no nurse, it was a secretary working in the office.

Our school has since changed, and now cannot give out any type of medication, and you're not supposed to bring any either, although those who need it bring it anyway.
[img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

sum1 · 12-06-2003, 04:09 AM

Schools are full of stupid crap!

12-06-2003, 09:09 AM

Back when I was in high school, I had never been to the school nurse but I know that the nurse was only there like every second Tuesday... what are teens supposed to do the other 9 days in 2 weeks? [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Mio · 12-06-2003, 10:37 AM

My junior high was like that, but not my high school. I carried around advil all the time!

In junior high, I had to have a doctors note explaining why I needed advil to be carried on me and it was put in my file.

Yes, it is a drug, but it's legal and I can see why. Someone can OD on advil (a friend of mine nearly did), but if she's using it for after gym class they seriously need to give their heads a shake.

Mio · 12-06-2003, 10:46 AM

Quote:

State guidelines define medication as "all prescription and nonprescription drugs," McCauley said Thursday afternoon. McCauley hears discipline appeals from parents dissatisfied with discipline imposed by school principals.

What the hell? So someone with a medical problem is going to die!

In junior high, I couldn't carry my asthma medicine with me until i got a note. But I carried it anyways. It's my life here that I'm talking about. I had friends who carried theirs around too. I wasn't about to have an asthma attack and die trying to reach my locker.

What about a kid with epilepsy, MS, or some other kind horrific medical condition.

School boards really need to re look their policies. Illegal drugs, fine. If taking advil for non medicinal purposes is getting out of hand, fine, but is it? Probably not.

Rediculous.

Wiva · 12-06-2003, 12:01 PM

Its not like she was packing oxy cotin without a perscription. Advil isn't illegal. It isn't illegal for minors. If she wasn't allowed to have it, it should have just been taken away, and maybe a parent called. Expulsion is totally unnessecary.
Thats like kids getting in trouble for have plastic knives in their lunch boxes.


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