Letter from the Editor:
As the leaves begin to shift colors and the days become cold and miserably short, it is easy to forget last spring. It seems like decades ago that it was warm and welcoming outside, with the promise of summer break just around the corner. But there is one thing that has come back to haunt students, faculty, and parents alike: the events that occurred during and after last year’s prom. We all remember what happened at the dance, and especially the events afterwards that catapulted our school into the local spotlight in a less than positive way. In recent weeks it has become apparent that this launched a movement within the administration, faculty, and parents to crack down on drug and alcohol abuse at The Community School.
I think most (if not all) of us can agree that drug and alcohol use has no place at The Community School. Drug and alcohol use on campus only detracts from the trusting, open environment we have at TCS. But what about when school is over and the weekend begins? Or a dance winds down and students leave to attend after-dance parties? Is this under the jurisdiction of our school? Concerns have also arisen from an email sent out by the administration to parents informing them of possible measures that would be taken to curb drug/alcohol usage. These include drug dogs, drug tests, breathalyzers, and a closed campus policy. No one is saying these will be implemented for sure, but they are out there as a possibility.
Open communication between the administration, faculty, parents, and students is essential in the success of ending drug and alcohol abuse at TCS. I appreciate Brian’s speech at assembly, but it came a week after an email was sent out that most of us saw whether we were supposed to or not. Why can’t communication between parents and students happen simultaneously? Of course, we won’t all receive the same information at times, but informing the students at the same time as their parents only makes us feel as if our opinion is valid and our voices important. We strive to be responsible, mature students at TCS, and if there is an issue as important as drug and alcohol abuse that comes up as a concern, we should surely be included in the process.
What does everyone think about the possible policy changes? Would you be fine with a few changes, or do you think it changes the spirit of the school? What should we do to make sure communication on this issue is smooth and effective? As always, feel free to comment and join the discussion.
- Sylvie Krekow