Chancellor High School student suspended for five days for having two Tylenol tablets

http://www.fredericksburg.com ^ | 2/3/2004 | ALLEN SCAIFE

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Chancellor High School student suspended for five days for having two Tylenol

YOUTH CORRESPONDENT

It happened like this:

Each seventh of a school day has its own distinct characteristics. The first class of the day is passed in a half-dazed state of semiconsciousness and quickly blends into second period.

At this point, the dull realization sets in that a new day is just beginning.

After first period, waking life is a thing of the past. The sour taste of the early morning is cut by Winterfresh gum, and the teacher's writing on the chalkboard looks a little less blurry.

However, eyes still droop every now and then, and an occasional thought drifts back to the warm and comfortable bed that had been robbed of its only occupant by a raucous alarm clock.

For one Chancellor High School student, second period on Friday, Dec. 12 was no daydream.

Rachel Warrick changed into her PE clothes and headed for the gym, leaving her book bag in the locker room as she always did. She then joined the other students as they waited for class to begin.

Shortly, an announcement came on through the PA system explaining that all students would be locked into their second period classes until further notice. Drug bust. This is a normal event in almost every high school across America.

Warrick had nothing to worry about. She had never been in trouble before in her life. The only sedatives she carried came in the form of heavy textbooks.

She was not in the least bit unnerved, and waited until Jacqueline Bass-Fortune, Chancellor's principal, dismissed the students from second period.

When she walked back into the locker room, she was shocked to find that her bag had been taken. A gym teacher was waiting for her. She explained that the police had taken her bag after one of the dogs had barked upon sniffing it.

Warrick was to report immediately to the office.

Upon entering the office, she was faced by a panel of grim looking adults. Her backpack was on a table. A small plastic zip-lock baggie lay beside it.

"We found this in your bag," someone told her.

There were two Tylenol tablets enclosed in the plastic.

The police, performing a routine canine drug-search, had been alerted by the dogs of something suspicious when they inspected Warrick's belongings.

Drug dogs are not trained to smell Tylenol. They barked when they caught the scent of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich that she had brought with her the day before.

Warrick was suspended for five school days. Apparently this was to be considered lucky--according to the Spotsylvania Student Code of Conduct, the possession or use of alcohol, drug paraphernalia or restricted substances (other than tobacco) requires a minimum punishment of 10 days of out of school suspension.

"This has been the only time I've ever been in trouble," she said. "They have to take that into consideration. It's Tylenol--not a drug."

However, the Code of Conduct's "zero tolerance" policy makes no concession for first-time offenders. The punishment is pretty non-negotiable.

Normally there is an appeals process that one can go through to attempt to null punishment, but not for drug-related suspensions.

"The intent behind the zero tolerance is a good one," said Bill Warrick, Rachel's father. "The goal is to prevent dangerous drug use and to make sure the students are safe, but there's a serious flaw if this kind of situation can arise.

"I think this policy is being too strictly interpreted--and in this case, the repercussions were too heavy handed. There's no discretion, and it doesn't allow for any exceptions."

According to healthsquare.com, "Tylenol is a fever and pain reducing medication that is widely used to relieve simple headaches and muscle aches; the minor aches and pains associated with the common cold; backache; toothache; minor pain of arthritis; and menstrual cramps." The back of the bottle states that the typical dose for adults and children 12 and over is two tablets. Users are instructed not to take more than 12 Tylenol over the course of 24 hours.

"She had two Tylenol, not the whole bottle," said her father.

Bass-Fortune, the school's principal, did not return repeated calls and e-mails regarding this story.

This offense will show up on Rachel's permanent record. Fortunately for her, the Warricks were informed that this infraction would not be divulged to any universities to which Rachel might apply.

Students in the school were outraged by the news--but one Stafford High teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, supports the policy.

"Regardless of reason or innocence, these procedures for administering medication at school were established for a reason and must be followed," the teacher stated. "Without such safeguards, teachers would be held responsible for identifying pills.

"I, for one, do not want to be held responsible for the high risks associated with bending this policy."

But on the student front, discontent with this incident is loud and clear.

"This just seems like it's punishing the wrong people," said Emily Croke, a sophomore at Courtland and one of Warrick's friends. "She's the nicest person you'll ever meet, and she was suspended for five days while other people are getting away with actual crimes."

Warrick is a student of the Commonwealth Governor's school, a rigorous academic program that demands constant attendance. These five days set her back noticeably, although friends helped to keep her up to speed on all her assignments.

"My teachers seemed disappointed in me," she said, "but all my friends and my parents were very supportive.

"They all asked 'How can they do this to you?' Everyone was telling me to do something about it, but there's not really much I could have done."

Having completed her suspension, Rachel is back in classes. She knows that she will have to suffer any future aches and pains without the benefit of Tylenol.

ALLEN SCAIFE is a senior at Stafford High School.

[ryanjb2]

I had to go through so much garbage just to give my sister two Tylenol a few weeks ago while she was at school. First I rang the buzzer on the locked school door. Next I went up to the security desk, signed my name, reason, ect, showed ID. I got a vistitors pass, put my name on it, and stuck it on my shirt. Went to the nurses office, gave the pills to the nurse. The nurse then gave the pills to my sister who had to use the pills in front of the nurse.

[cspackler]

I really have no idea what you are talking about. I made one statement to a completely different Freeper concerning "getting tired of the if you send your kids to public school, you're abusing your child crowd", and you called me a troll. I seriously have no idea what you are referring to about voucher discussions. I have no problem with choice, we have an open-enrollment program in our area if parents want to send their child to a different school. I do support vouchers on the surface, but the problem that I see is that the largest effect will be to innundate the good private schools that are in areas with bad public schools with the loser kids from the public schools that were causing the problems in the first place. If one is a true believer in the private school system, I can't see how they can support the voucher system when all it will most likely accomplish it to bring the two systems to an equilibrium somewhere in the middle. If you really want good private schools, you gotta pay out of your own pocket and keep them truly private.

[NoLongerLurking]

First off in this particular case vouchers will never be an option. I know this area reasonably well and much of the area of Virginia from just south of Fairfax to the area around Fredericksburg public schools are it. There just aren't many private schools around there. So in this situation it isn't a voucher question at all.

As for the overall question of vouchers. The idea that we can make schools get better by pulling funding from them is ridiculous. The educational system is not an economy. We need to be trying to fix the system. Private schools are good because they have more money, so we will make public schools good by pulling money away from them and giving in to private schools? No that doesn't add up.

I am fully against huge govt spending on lots of places of govt waste, but education is one place where it is in the interest of the populace to have a well-educated public. Pulling money out of public schools will not do that.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[weegee]

I'd certainly recommend random pee tests for all teachers if they are going to clamp down on student use of tylenol.

Some of the teachers I've known were no saints while they were employed as teachers.

Or would the teachers' union have a problem with that.

[Dog Gone]

It was, and welcome to FR!

[verity]

Jacqueline Bass-Fortune, Chancellor's principal

Hyphenated people are dangerous. ;~)

[E. Pluribus Unum]

We are Republicans, lets give answers and not just point out problems.

There is no Constitutional right to public education.

Public education has failed black people miserably, and will continue to do so until the end of time.

The Kansas City schools are proof of this. By order of a federal judge, Kansas City schools are the finest physical structures in the country. They are better than most universities.

And the kids are doing worse than ever.

What's the point of spending $10,000 per pupil per year, and they can't even read when they graduate from high school.

Abolish public schools.

People only value that which they pay for.

If they get it for free, they think it is worth nothing.

[MaryFromMichigan]

What would happen if everyone brought two tylenol to school tomorrow?

I've advocated this same idea before.
I would love to see some one organize this.

[TC Rider]

It would be interesting to see how the school would react if they had found RU-486.

[Ignatz]

"Regardless of reason or innocence, these procedures for administering medication at school were established for a reason and must be followed,"

[af_vet_rr]

I suppose that's a principle of government that the school mandates a zero tolerance policy and someone gets busted for aspirin.

They are just teaching the kids that whatever the government says, they have to follow.

[BlueNgold]

This is silly stuff.
A friend of mine in AL had a daughter suspended and actually sent to a 'remedial in school suspension' program for 3 weeks because she got 'caught' taking Midol to deal with her cramps. The in school suspension was supposed to be 6 weeks, but they finally got through to the District Supt who, fortunately for them, was having a bad session of cramps herself on the day of their meeting and actually had Midol in her top desk drawer readily available. Needless to say she was sympathetic and brought some much needed common sense to the situation.

[BlueNgold]

So, using this sort of "logic," shouldn't all soda and water bottles also be banned on campus? Since a bottle could be used to carry alcohol, and we wouldn't want the teachers to be "responsible" for identifying illicit alcohol. Oh, and bag lunches have to go. Who knows what's really in that brownie?

Shhh, dude..... not so loud man.

[headsonpikes]

Children will always be going through that system...

In your dreams, newbie - no socialist system can last forever!

I look forward to the day when the public schools are closed by America's betrayed youth, and supporters of the system are publicly horse-whipped.

[NoLongerLurking]

Never knew I claimed that there was a constitutional right to public education. However just because there is not right in the Constitution does not mean that it is a bad idea. The Constitution was written to say there was no right for direct election of Senators, does that mean it is a bad idea?

Public education has failed black people miserably, and will continue to do so until the end of time.
How so? Are you talking about inner city kids who are more likely to be black than suburban kids? If yes then you are simply stating that inner city schools have more problems than rural and suburban ones and your just stating the obvious. Or you are saying that blacks in public schools do worse than whites when all things are equal. Then what good will it do by putting them into a private system. If they are both in the same system and blacks are doing worse how will changing the system help?

I don;t see what point the KC example is trying to prove. All that says is that some idiot wasted all the money on the buildings rather than the students, don't see how this helps your argument.

And now my favorite part of your argument: What's the point of spending $10,000 per pupil per year, and they can't even read when they graduate from high school.
So if an army loses a battle they should just back it in and go home in defeat? Its the same principle, you are saying that since it isn't working in the current way then there should be no attempt at all. If something doesn't work you try to fix it. It is that way in all facets of life and society.

As for saying that people don't value public education because it is free, that is completely lacking of any thought. I didn't pay for computer because it was a gift and I value that. Same goes for my house and everything my parents ever provided for me. Granted I know that the stuff was paid for, but students know their education is being paid by taxes so its no different. Friendships are valued and those are free.

[CJ Wolf]

I thought Penut butter has been outlawed in school. Why didn't she get suspension for that?

[NoLongerLurking]

Okay, seriously, just calling something you don't like socialist will get you nowhere in any argument. Especially in a situation like this where it just makes you sound like an extremist nutjob.

An educational system is the enemy to a system like socialism that wants to have complete control over its people. In Europe in the early 1800's the Austrian foreign Minister, Metternich, had the goal of preserving the Austrian empire. One of the big things he did to make sure that this would happen was to shut down universities so people couldn't meet to discuss ideas which might have led to ideas Metternich did not like.

And if you were able to achieve your dream of no public schools, would you be happy with the result? You want a drastically stupid populace. It is the greatest of all public goods to have an educated people. That leads to all other goods. James Madison said, "Learned institutions ought to be favorite objects with every people. They throw that light over the public mind which is the best security against crafty and dangerous encroachments on the public liberty." A lack of public education would lead to even dumber people. And that is one thing we should try to avoid.

[Sloth]

Do students at these schools get to drink caffeinated beverages? Do the teachers?

[fly_so_free]

"I think this policy is being too strictly interpreted"
Gee, ya think?

This is so stupid. The school officials are just lazy. That's why they have "zero tolerance" policies. They don't want to actually have to do some work for their pay. Unbelievable.