Students ask N.E. Sullivan school board to ban smoking

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
By Tawni Prudhomme, Staff Writer

HYMERA -- Approximately 30 S.A.D.D members of the North Central Jr./Sr. High School chapter made a presentation Monday night asking the Northeast School Corporation Board of School Trustees to ban smoking on all campuses.

Each member wore a shirt printed with, "Why Should Our Pathways to Education Be Cloudy."

Currently there are designated areas for smokers at all campuses. A folder with pertinent information was given to the board members. Several students then read their findings.

The main ideas presented were:

* Smoking causes cancer deaths and related illnesses of the heart and other organs.

* The cost regarding health care for smokers is astronomical.

* Secondhand smoke puts innocent people at risk.

* No smoking for all campuses sets a good example for students.

* Fifteen states prohibit smoking in all public and work places. More are joining the trend each year.

* 80 percent of deaths from pancreatic cancer are related to smoking.

* The schools should be safe places for students.

The students posed these questions. Why are people allowed to smoke on school property? Shouldn't students be allowed to breathe clean air?

The board members congratulated the group on their presentation and stated that this issue will be dealt with in the near future.

Summer school plans were reported by Mark Baker, superintendent. Driver's Education will be offered and taught by four teachers. North Central will also conduct Math, English, and Biology classes.

New for the elementary will be the later date for classes. Summer school will be held for elementary students the last two weeks of July. Also, packets will go home for students to work on with parents over the summer. Students will receive incentive awards.

The board accepted the summer school plan as written.

Two resignations came from Emily Whitman, speech therapist, and custodian William Orrix.

New hires for the corporation will be Timi Smith, co-sponsor for the fifth and sixth grade cheerleaders at Dugger, Frank Bullock as bus driver, and Mark Drake, volunteer football assistant coach at North Central.

School Principals Lisa Hollingsworth, Chuck Roach, and Tara Jenkins presented the school improvement plan. This plan is driven by a Federal law which is Annual Yearly Improvement (A.Y.I) and the state law P.L. 221.

Leslie Hawker, PTO president, informed the board that a legal announcement for the hearing on the school improvement plan had not appeared in the paper. Baker stated that the plan would be presented again in June so that all concerned parents might attend.

Joe Pigg and other family members were in attendance. They questioned the board members regarding an incident involving their son.

Their second-grader received in-school suspension for seven hours in the teacher's office. He was attended by an assistant. Pigg contacted Baker who tried to call the school to find out the details. He was unable to make contact.

Pigg stated, "I am not happy. The punishment was not appropriate. Just a few days before, a student punched a kid in the nose. He received no punishment. I don't understand this. Why aren't all children treated equally? Also, there was no formal report made. The teacher wrote the report in my presence."

Another member of the family asked Baker and the board if it thought what the teacher did was correct. The board and Baker stated Yes.

Pigg then responded, "I just want this situation to be fair and I will go to the fullest extent to see that it is."

He then exited the meeting.

Comments

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don't these parent's see that this child needs to be in a class that can teach him to the fullest. maybe he is learning in the regular class? i hope that he is not distracted by the other children and they are not by him! i am not saying anything wrong about his disabilty. i think that each child should be punished the same way!

-- Posted by girly3 on Wed, May 14, 2008, at 6:55 AM

The children at Dugger Elementary are not punished the same way. Certain students behavior is ignored. Then when the children who are bullied defend themselves, they are punished. What kind of message does this send to the kids? I have personally spoken to the principal about this and did not get anywhere. She was cold and indifferent.

-- Posted by bulldogfan on Wed, May 14, 2008, at 7:32 AM

I THINK SMOKING SHOULD BE BANNED ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. GOOD GOING KIDS AGAINST SMOKING!!!

-- Posted by ROSEMARY on Wed, May 14, 2008, at 8:04 AM