Police say they'll protect students' privacy

Ashland urges tougher policies for school leaders

By DAMIAN MANN

ASHLAND - Police officials will protect a student's right to privacy in response to the school district's controversial proposal to hold a student accountable for behavior both on and off campus.

The policy, which has been debated among parents and students, is a reaction to recent incidents with members of the snowboarding and debate teams who are suspected of using drugs or alcohol.

It is also a response to a yearlong court battle waged by the Phoenix-Talent School District to oust the Phoenix High School student president Keanon Ferguson after he was caught with marijuana on campus.

Ashland police Youth Diversion Officer Jan Janssen said her office would not release any information to the school district about the arrest of minors.

"There is a right-to-privacy issue here," she said. "We want to protect the rights of juveniles first and foremost."

The suggested school district policy states that a student can be disciplined if "a school staff member observes the incident, or is on duty during the incident, or is made aware of the problem by an outside agency such as the police or related agency."

But Ashland Chief of Police Scott Fleuter said, "We would not release information to the school."

The police department also wouldn't automatically release information about a student who was 18 years of age or older involved in an offense.

"We are not going to have a tickler file and release that information automatically," he said.

Schools, however, do automatically receive information from Jackson County Community Justice if a student is on formal probation.

But Deputy Director Carl Erickson said his department wouldn't provide any information about cases that weren't adjudicated.

About 600 youths are currently on probation in Jackson County, he said.

The district's proposed policy would hold a student leader accountable if involved with drugs or alcohol, or arrested and convicted for a felony or misdemeanor.

The student would also be held accountable for use or possession of tobacco or involvement in misconduct that would bring discredit to the school.

"If you're a student leader, you're still a student leader on Emigrant Lake or on the high school campus," said Ashland schools Business Manager Loren Luman.

School board member Chuck Keil said the code of conduct policy was a reaction to many incidents that have come before the school.

He doesn't see the policy as punitive, but rather as a means to assist students who are in trouble.

Much of the language in the policy refers to different degrees of punishment depending on how many times the student has committed an offense.

"Should the allegations be borne out, we need to have steps to provide assistance to students who need assistance," he said.

Keil said neither the board nor the district expects the police department to provide information about students. "We do not expect them to be a watchdog group," he said. "The two bodies (police and the district) are completely separate."

Brady Brim-DeForest, co-student body president, said, "Basically, I think that they, the students in leadership, are accountable for their actions as students in other activities."

But he disagreed with language in the policy that would penalize a student who has come forward and admitted to having a problem with drugs or alcohol.

He also said the leadership class should have been part of the process to devise this code of conduct.

"I'm just bothered by the fact that we were not able to work together - to make sure everybody is involved," said the 17-year-old.

Senior Jazmin Hupp, also 17 and active in many school activities, including the debate team, said, "It is the general feeling of the student body that the leadership class is not critical to the school's success."

She added, "If we took these people as our role models, then we'd be screwed."

Former debate team member Poppy Alexander, who attends Yale University, said, "This is happening without any student input at all. It is another slap in the face to the leadership class."

The school board will review the proposed policy at its next board meeting, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13, in the Ashland Council Chambers.

Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail dmann@mailtribune.com

Phoenix opens door to drug tests for student leaders

PHOENIX - In the wake of a yearlong legal battle to unseat the Phoenix High School student body president for marijuana possession, the school district Thursday beefed up its policies for leadership students.

"We want to hold them to a little higher standard," said Interim Superintendent Ben Bergreen.

The district also has a progressive discipline plan that includes counseling for drug problems, but could also include making available drug testing.

But the policy also gives the district the specific language in the school's constitution to avoid the legal battle that led to Keanon Ferguson's removal from office at the end of the school year.

"The language was implied before, but now it's spelled out," said Bergreen.

The school constitution states, "The Student Government will not tolerate members who do not show, by their actions, a good representation of the Student Government and a good example to their peers."

It then cites various reasons why a student could be removed, including "for any other actions which are detrimental to the welfare of the school."

Bergreen said the rights of students still would be respected if they were suspected of an offense.

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