Book
Policy Manual
Section
5000 Students
Title
USE OF TOBACCO BY STUDENTS
Code
po5512
Status
Active
Adopted
August 26, 2008
Last Revised
November 2, 2015
5512 - USE OF TOBACCO BY STUDENTS
The Board of Education is committed to providing students, staff, and visitors with tobacco and smoke-free environment. The negative health effects of tobacco use for both the users and nonusers, particularly in connection with second hand smoke, are well established. Further, providing a non-smoking and tobacco-free environment is consistent with responsibilities of teachers and staff to be positive role models for our students.
"Tobacco" means any items containing the leaves of cultivated tobacco plants, in any form or amount, dried and processed. Products include, but are not limited to cigarettes, cigars, snuff, spit tobacco, smokeless tobacco or pipe tobacco.
For purposes of this policy, "use of tobacco" means to chew or maintain any substance containing tobacco, including smokeless tobacco, in the mouth to derive the effects of tobacco, as well as all uses of tobacco or tobacco substitutes, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, or any other matter or substances that contain tobacco, in addition to papers used to roll cigarettes and/or the smoking of electronic, "vapor," or other substitute forms of cigarettes, clove cigarettes or other lighted smoking devices for burning tobacco or any other substance. In order to protect students and staff who choose not to use tobacco from an environment noxious to them, the Board prohibits the possession, consumption, purchase or attempt to purchase and/or use of tobacco or tobacco substitute products by students on Board premises, in Board-owned or operated vehicles, within any facility owned or leased or contracted for by the Board and at all Board-sponsored events. Smoking clove cigarettes or other substances is also prohibited.
Individuals supervising students are prohibited from distributing or using any tobacco product while in the presence of students or at any time while engaged in any activities directly involving students.
The Board shall enforce the consequences and/or interventions that are consistent with the levels specified in West Virginia Board of Education policy 4373, or local Board policy 5600, to address violations. The specific procedures to be followed when any staff member observes any violations outlined in this tobacco control policy shall be as follows:
First Violation:
In accordance with due process, disciplinary action taken for the First Violation of this policy shall include the following sanctions:
Conference with principal (or designee) and completion of appropriate discipline form.
Contact parent or legal guardian by phone or letter.
Assigned in-school or out-of-school suspension for one to five (1-5) days. During this time the student will complete a tobacco education assignment including information on the addiction process and cessation programs. Failure to complete this assignment will result in additional assigned suspension or detention.
Referral for legal action.
Second Violation:
In accordance with due process, disciplinary action taken for the Second Violation of this policy shall include the following sanctions:
Conference with principal (or designee) and completion of appropriate discipline form.
Contact parent or legal guardian by phone or letter.
Assigned in-school or out-of-school suspension for three to ten (3-10) days. During this time the student will complete a tobacco education assignment including information on the addiction process and cessation programs. Failure to complete this assignment will result in additional assigned suspension or detention.
Referral to education program on tobacco cessation provided through the school, the American Cancer Society, or other group.
Referral for legal action.
Additional Violations:
In accordance with due process, disciplinary action taken for Additional Violations of this policy shall include the following sanctions:
Conference with principal (or designee) and completion of appropriate discipline form.
Contact parent or legal guardian by phone or letter.
Assigned in-school or out-of-school suspension for ten (10) days.
Referral to education program on tobacco cessation provided through the school, the American Cancer Society, or other group, and be required to have parent/legal guardian sign that they are aware of the availability of these programs.
Referral for legal action.
The Board shall maintain a list of providers to make referral to voluntary support programs (such as local mental health provider or tobacco cessation program or hotline programs) that address the physical, psychological and social issues associated with addiction; provide on-going support and reinforcement necessary for desired behavior change; and provide information about available programs to all 4th through 12th grade students and staff on a regular basis. All schools in the county will be provided with a list of available cessation programs to refer students interested in cessation. Cessation support education shall not be used as a punishment for those caught violating this policy. Referral information shall be provided by the school administration to violators of this policy in addition to any sanction taken by the school. Individual schools will make the determination to provide or refer a student to voluntary cessation programs.
Referrals may be made to the locally determined site for tobacco cessation classes for students.
Information regarding upcoming cessation support education programs will be given to all students K-12 via the school calendar, school newsletters, and/or on bulletin boards.
Schools may elect to provide a cessation program for students if staff or community agencies agree to provide the program for a minimum of one (1) year.
This policy shall be provided to students, school staff, parents or families, visitors and the community-at-large through:
staff development;
employee and student handbooks;
parent/guardian notification;
general public notification (e.g., signs, announcements); and
attaching a summary of this policy on to all requests for school facility use.
The County shall review its tobacco control policy at least every two (2) years and make appropriate modifications as necessary.
Revised 1/4/10
© Neola 2015
Legal
20 U.S.C. 6081 et seq., 20 U.S.C. 7182
W.V.B.E. policy 2422.5
W.V.B.E. policy 2520.5
W.V.B.E. policy 4373