9/6/2009

Oakton High School, in Fairfax County Virginia, has made the news recently for enforcement of its anti-drug policies as applied to prescrtiption medication.

A student was recently caught taking a pill at lunchtime. Because school regulations require all prescription medications be dispensed through the school nurse the teenage girl was discplined for taking what turned out to be a birth control pill. She was suspended for two weeks and it was recommended that she be expelled from the high school.

While she was at home during the suspension, she familiarized herself with the Oakton Student Responsibilities and Rights handbook. She discovered that had she been caught with an illegal drug, LSD or heroin, she would have only received a five day suspension. And that the penalty she received is the same as what whould occur had she brought a firearm to school.

The Fairfax County School Board offers reasons for the harsh penalties in this article.