Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Guns Vs. Drugs: The Biggest Danger in Schools

With the horrors that unfolded only a few weeks ago in Newtown, Connecticut, many parents are holding a more vigilant eye out for dangers hidden within their children's schools. But are the worries about guns in schools outshining the more common and very real danger of drugs in schools?

The debate over gun control and the danger guns pose to school students has literally overtaken the airwaves for several weeks now and has some parents wondering why this one incident is overshadowing the constant threat of drugs in educational facilities and campuses.

It estimated that over half of all drug purchases and use by students in grades 1-12 take place on school campuses. The social, educational, and recreational center for kids ages 8-18 is the school, so it is no surprise that if a young adult or child were to come into contact with drugs and/or alcohol, it would likely be on school grounds. This, however, is still an unacceptable statistic, and proves the necessity for a hard look at exactly what we are doing to ensure our children's safety in schools.

While minimal efforts have been made to curb drug possession and use in schools, many feel that the efforts simply do not go far enough. Some parents feel that drug counseling programs in schools would be sufficient, while other parents feel that this is not necessary.

As it stands, if a student is caught with drugs or alcohol on campus, zero-tolerance policies simply expel that student, and the student must go to school elsewhere. Absolutely no sorts of drug rehab or drug counseling programs are provided nor offered.

While the recent school shootings are spurring reform in keeping students safe from the extreme chance that a mentally-troubled student will bring a gun onto campus, absolutely no changes are being looked into for the common problem that a perfectly normal student might bring drugs onto the campus.

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