Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 25, 1995 TAG: 9506260014
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Students also are fighting more and injuring each other in larger numbers, but sexual assaults are decreasing.
The cases of drug possession increased by 88 percent in Virginia's schools in the 1993-94 school year, the latest period for which statistics are available.
It was the biggest jump by far for any of the behavior offenses on which the state requires school systems to collect data.
Statewide, the cases of drug possession rose from 858 in 1992-93 to 1,607 in 1993-94.
In Western Virginia, Montgomery County reported the most cases of drug possessions, 26, followed by Pulaski County with 24 and Roanoke County, 19.
Other school divisions in the region with their incidents of drug possession: Franklin County, 16; Botetourt County, 14; Roanoke, 14; Bedford County, 11; Floyd County, eight; Salem, five; Giles County, three; Radford, two; Craig County, one.
State school officials said the largest increase in drug possession occurred in ninth grade, which is consistent with national statistics.
A slight decrease occurred in fifth grade, which is the grade in which most Virginia students are receiving instruction in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education curriculum. School officials said this might indicate that the DARE program accounts for the decrease.
The cases of alcohol possession decreased by 8 percent - from 1,201 in 1992-93 to 1,106 in 1993-94.
Guns and other weapons are becoming a major concern for many school systems in Virginia, including several in the western part of the state.
Statewide, the incidents of firearm possession increased by 8 percent, from 347 to 373. Possession of other weapons rose from 2,367 to 2,696, or 14 percent.
Roanoke County Superintendent Deanna Gordon said publicity about weapons in schools is causing many parents to worry about safety in schools, even if the number of incidents is not large.
Roanoke County reported three cases of firearm possession in 1993-94.
"Just the fear that weapons may be there causes concern," Gordon said. ``It creates a problem.''
Bedford County reported the most firearms possession in Western Virginia with 10, followed by Roanoke with six. Franklin and Roanoke counties each reported three.
Bedford County Superintendent John Kent said drug and weapon cases in schools reflect a larger problem in the community.
"It's a tough issue to deal with. The state doesn't have any real strategy for dealing with it," he said. "We work on it, but we don't have any real solution, either."
Kent said it was hard to keep drugs and weapons out of schools because they are so readily available in the community.
Most school systems have not tabulated their incidents of weapon and drug possession for 1994-95, but Roanoke said its cases of firearms, drugs and assaults were down 35 percent in the past year.
Superintendent Wayne Harris said he believes the Roanoke School Board's policy of expelling students who bring drugs or weapons to school is a deterrent.
"They know the rules are clear: You bring a gun or drugs to school, and you are out of here," Harris said.
State officials said the increase in firearm possession begins in fourth grade and peaks in eighth grade, with a decrease in the four years of high school. They said this may indicate a need for increased prevention programs and instruction during the early elementary grades.
There was a 7 percent increase statewide in the cases of possession of tobacco - from 9,780 to 10,376. Franklin County reported the most cases in Western Virginia, 283.
The increase in tobacco begins in fourth grade and continues through 11th grade, with a decrease in 12th grade.
Fighting continues to increase in the state's schools, with an 18 percent jump reported - from 25,087 incidents to 29,514. The number of serious injuries increased from 269 to 384.
There was a 4 percent increase in possession of electronic pagers, which are sometimes used for drug dealing. Most school systems in Western Virginia reported few cases of beepers, but some schools in Northern Virginia and Tidewater reported large numbers.
by CNB