Students shall not be permitted to use or have possession of drugs or alcoholic beverages on school property or at school functions.  Drugs are defined in accordance with the Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 40 Controlled dangerous Substance Act Schedule I, II, III, IV, and V.

When a student is suspected of having a drug or alcohol problem , or of having drugs or alcohol in their possession, the principal shall contact 1) the parent, guardian, or surrogate parent 2) the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance 3) the drug Counselor designated for the school and 4) the Drug Free School Supervisor within a 24 hour period.

If there is reasonable cause to suspect a student of distribution or attempted distribution, the above individuals will be notified and a local law enforcement official will be notified.

Notwithstanding the provision of R. S. 17:416 (B), and student, sixteen years of age or older, found guilty of knowledge of and intentional distribution of or possession with intent to distribute and illegal narcotic, drug, or other controlled substance on school property, on a school bus, or at a school event shall be expelled from school for a minimum of twenty-four calendar months.

Any students who is under sixteen years of age and in grades six through twelve and who is found guilty of possession of, or knowledge of and intentional distributions of or possession with intent to distribute any illegal narcotic, drug, or other controlled substance on school property, on a school bus, or at a school event pursuant to a hearing  provided for by R.S. 17:416 (C)(1) shall be expelled from school for a minimum period of twelve calendar months.

The student will be expelled for the remainder of the school year if found to be in possession of illegal drugs.  If a student is found to be in possession of alcohol he will be suspended to the Alternative School until hearing is held within days.  If a student is found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the school, the student will be suspended for 30 days for the 1st offense.  These days are unexcused and the student will fail for the academic year.  The following option is exercised for those students for 30 days.

The student shall attend a state-approved substance abuse treatment center for 30 days.  Parents and students must attend the number of counseling sessions as required by a certified Substance Abuse Counselor.  This will be at the parents own expense.  Verification of counseling shall be submitted to the home school principal upon readmittance at the end of the 30 days.  A hearing at the school or designated place with parent(s), Child Welfare and Attendance Supervisor, principal and a Drug Counselor must be held before the student will be readmitted.  A program of appropriate counseling for the student will be developed.  The principal will assign the student to the school's Drug Counselor upon the students readmission to the school.  The student must participate in a counseling program not less than one thirty minute session per week for a period of not less than one month.  Documentation of the sessions will be done by the Drug Counselor and forwarded to the Counselor and forwarded to the principal, Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance and the Drug Free School Supervisor.

The student will be automatically expelled for a second offense.  Normal expulsion process procedures will be followed as described in the LaSalle Parish School Board Policy Handbook.

A student will be determined to be in possession or under the influence of drugs upon receipt of a mandatory drug screen from a certified laboratory.  A student will be determined to be in possession or under the influence of alcohol upon the completion of a Photoelectric Intoximeter or test normally used by the appropriate law enforcement agency.  These test will be implemented within 2 hours after the suspected influence occurs.  If a student refuses to be administered the said test, and the principal has strong reason to believe the student is under the influence, disciplinary action will be administered as if the test were positive.

The above will be required to conduct at least 8 hours of instruction in Drug Education that is age-appropriate and developmentally based.  Students will have access to a local list of drug and alcohol counseling, rehabilitation and recovery programs.

This policy will be distributed to parents and students on a yearly basis.  A biennial review of the policy will be conducted to determined the effectiveness and to implement revisions.