Before you say "Never at my school!" you must realize that all teens experiment. They experiment with sex, drugs and alcohol and just about everything else. They are always trying to be somebody they are not, as a way of discovering who they really are.
Peer pressure is ubiquitous. Peer pressure can be overwhelming. Every teen wants to be accepted. Every teen wants to be cool. That's what being a teen is all about. This holds true whether your school is an independent school or a parochial school, faith-based or secular.
Preventing Drugs And Alcohol Use
While you certainly won't be 100% successful, your best shot is through education and supervision.
Educating students to the physiological and legal dangers of abusing substances is critical. Make them truly understand the serious consequences of their actions. Talk about substance abuse. Bring in guest speakers. Show appropriate videos. Set up a peer mentor program. Make your students feel comfortable asking questions. Give them factual, authoritative answers.
Let them know that if they are caught with illegal substances that you are required to turn them over to the law enforcement authorities. Many kids think that they are safe because they are on school premises and therefore are somehow immune from prosecution. Wrong! Keep the channels of communication open at all levels, starting with the students themselves and working on up to the head and board of trustees. Nobody in your school can afford to ignore this serious problem.
Make sure that you educate parents as well. Many of us older parents - I am speaking for myself - grew up in a time when substance abuse was drinking beer and an occasional shot of something stronger. We need to know the warning signs and what to look for, both in our own children and in their friends. Make certain that parents know where to turn for help should the need arise.
Supervision
Supervising students while they are in your care is essential. Supervising students constantly is a real challenge. It's a difficulty compounded by the fact that we ask our teachers and staff to do too much. If you are rushing to yet another committee meeting or are late for a basketball practice, you certainly don't have time to stop and check for suspicious activity. That's when a teen will see an opening and slip through it. Even so, if the infraction occurs on school premises, you are responsible for dealing with it. Make certain that your staff and faculty have clear policy guidelines on how to deal with infractions of the school's substance abuse policy. Make sure that these policies are enforced fairly.
Handling Unwelcome Publicity
Consult with your legal counsel. (Actually you should do this in anticipation of some unforeseen disaster anyway.) Release a clearly worded statement to the press and refer them to the authorities as necessary. Regrettably, unfortunate incidents will occur in the life of every school. Face them head on. Examine all the facts. Correct any deficiencies and errors and resolve to prevent a recurrence. That's all you can be expected to do. But, for goodness sakes, don't bury your head in the sand and pretend that nothing of consequence has happened. You will be very sorry if you take that course. For more on handling public relations issues and the press read When Disaster Strikes.
