A shuffle in Hanover
Dailyrecord.com, NJ
Editorial
08/03/06
Regional school board changes its drug policy
If you have been following the doings of the Hanover Park Regional Board of Education, your head is probably spinning.
In the wake of two recent deaths of young Whippany residents and the prom night arrest of a student on drug charges, it surfaced that the school district had been resistant to stationing police officers -- they're known by the more soothing name of "resource officers"-- in the district's two high schools: Hanover Park and Whippany Park. Both town officials and the police talked about the district's reluctance.
That was before last week's overnight raid that rounded up more than 50 young drug abuse suspects. The raid centered on the three district towns of East Hanover, Florham Park and Hanover.
Almost immediately after the raid, John Adamus, the district superintendent of schools, changed his tune. Not only will both high schools get full-time officers this fall, Adamus lamented that the district can't impose random drug testing on all students. The law allows only athletes to be tested randomly.
That's not all. The superintendent also wants regular information from authorities about patterns of drug abuse.
It's debatable how effective resource officers are in keeping students away from drugs, but it's hard to see them hurting.
The district's change in thinking was certainly pushed by events that seemed to be spiraling away from them. We think the new policy is a good one, but please, let's not confuse the district's new position with leadership.
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What exactly is a "drug abuse suspect"?
Editorial
08/03/06
Regional school board changes its drug policy
If you have been following the doings of the Hanover Park Regional Board of Education, your head is probably spinning.
In the wake of two recent deaths of young Whippany residents and the prom night arrest of a student on drug charges, it surfaced that the school district had been resistant to stationing police officers -- they're known by the more soothing name of "resource officers"-- in the district's two high schools: Hanover Park and Whippany Park. Both town officials and the police talked about the district's reluctance.
That was before last week's overnight raid that rounded up more than 50 young drug abuse suspects. The raid centered on the three district towns of East Hanover, Florham Park and Hanover.
Almost immediately after the raid, John Adamus, the district superintendent of schools, changed his tune. Not only will both high schools get full-time officers this fall, Adamus lamented that the district can't impose random drug testing on all students. The law allows only athletes to be tested randomly.
That's not all. The superintendent also wants regular information from authorities about patterns of drug abuse.
It's debatable how effective resource officers are in keeping students away from drugs, but it's hard to see them hurting.
The district's change in thinking was certainly pushed by events that seemed to be spiraling away from them. We think the new policy is a good one, but please, let's not confuse the district's new position with leadership.
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What exactly is a "drug abuse suspect"?
posted by Terry at
6:20 AM
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