What do you think about Student Contracts?

[Guest]

Saw this interesting article in the Princeton Packet. Just thought I'd pass it on.

A WW-P student contract nixes smoking, drinking, drugs
Friday, August 1, 2008 7:23 AM EDT
By Greg Forester, Staff Writer


More than 70 percent of students in attendance at High School North and High School South will have to sign student contracts regarding smoking, drug and alcohol use, and other district polices in the upcoming school year.

Board of Education members signed off on an expansion of the existing student contract system — from student-athletes to all those taking part in extra- and co-curricular activities — at a meeting earlier this summer.

A sample contract, provided to The Packet, explains various district policies and commits students to penalties for smoking tobacco, alcohol and drug use, as well as violation of attendance and transportation policies and conduct standards at school events.

The penalties prescribed for certain activities apply both on and off district property, although they are not meant to be disciplinary in nature, according to Assistant Superintendent Tom Smith.

Rather, “It makes (students) think twice about making poor decisions,” Mr. Smith said.
He said the district convened focus groups of up to 20 students for discussions on the existing contract system and the possibility of expanding it. The positive response in those groups helped provide some of the impetus for bringing the matter up to the Board of Education, Mr. Smith said.

The board then discussed the contract expansion at various meetings, and eventually signed off on it during July meeting.

Board of Education President Hemant Marathe stressed that the increase in the number of students required to sign the documents, prior to participation, did not represent a significant change for the district.

”It was always there for athletes and it is now for everybody,” Mr. Marathe said.

District officials reiterated that they were not planning on actively policing the activities of students after school and on weekends, although that information sometimes comes to the attention of the district anyway.

Mr. Smith said that with the advent of cell phone cameras and other instant communications, district officials have seen an uptick in the number of instances where they informed about the behavior of some students at home and outside school.

He said district employees have received anonymous e-mails containing photographs of students drinking, using drugs, or engaging in other unacceptable behavior.

Recently a school administrator received pictures of students drinking or using drugs while on a school trip. The pictures were received very soon after the incident, according to Mr. Smith, in fact before the students had returned from the school trip.

”We’re not about policing the lives of students, but quite frankly, we are faced with a situation of instant information,” Mr. Smith said.

Students caught smoking face referral to a smoking cessation program and various suspensions from competitions and performances. If caught using drugs or alcohol, students face similar referrals to counseling programs and stiffer penalties, in terms of suspensions.

Students that miss practices or meetings for unexcused reasons, depending on the activity, face exclusion from participation in their particular activity. Similar penalties exist for students disqualified from competitions or performances for unsportsmanlike conduct and verbal or physical abuse.

Parents should receive letters about the contracts sometime this summer.

http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/08/02/the_princeton_packet/news/doc4892449614a81586945093.txt