Students caught smoking in school would be reported to the police under a proposal presented to the Howard County school board yesterday.
The proposal -- likely to be in place by February -- would bring the school system's smoking policy in line with a state law that took effect Oct. 1, prohibiting juveniles under the age of 18 from possessing any tobacco product or cigarette-rolling papers.
"Any student in any of our schools in possession of tobacco products or rolling paper would be reported to the police by way of telephone," said Dr. Dan Jett, director of the county's high schools. "We would expect administrators to report illegal acts."
All five members of the board appeared to be in favor of the proposal, recognizing that the school system has little choice but to obey state law.
"I'm surprised by this. I missed that this law was passed," said board member Sandra French. "But we have a law, and we can't not comply with it. What the police do is up to them."
The county Police Department is creating a policy on handling juveniles who are reported by the schools to be in violation of the tobacco law, Dr. Jett said. Board members said they will closely watch the Police Department's enforcement of the law.
"While I want to see us following the law, I have a real problem with a police report happening on the first offense," said board member Stephen Bounds. "I am conscious of the effect of having a police record . . . and am especially uncomfortable because we do not know what the Police Department will do yet."
At the behest of the board, Dr. Jett agreed to begin educating xTC students immediately about both the new law and its potential penalties rather than waiting until after the board approves a new smoking policy.
"We'd like to invest heavily in prevention," Dr. Jett said. "Hopefully, it will reduce some of the smoking that takes place in school."
The board will hear the community's reaction to the new policy at its Jan. 26 meeting and is scheduled to conduct a vote that same day.
In another proposal, penalties for violations of smoking policy would be applied to middle school students. Currently, middle school principals have wide discretion on penalizing students.
The current smoking policy calls for a conference with parents for a first offense, five hours of detention for a second offense and a five-day suspension for a third.
In other business, Mr. Bounds and Karen Campbell, the two newly elected members of the school board, were sworn into office.
"This is going to be really challenging in the next six years to take this school system into the next century," said Dr. Campbell, a veterinarian who returned to the board after a two-year absence. "It is going to be a wonderful time to be back working in education."
As expected, the board unanimously elected Susan J. Cook and Ms. French as chairman and vice chairman, respectively. Ms. Cook -- in the fourth year of her six-year term -- is the senior member of the board.
In accepting an audit of spending for the 1993-1994 school year, the board approved sending $348,210 to the county general fund.
The audit found that the school system spent about $1 million less than had been budgeted, but the county, in anticipation of the savings, had already held back $652,000.
The board also approved plans for a $640,000 expansion of Stevens Forest Elementary School for a new gymnasium. The project is expected to be completed in July 1995.
The committee to name the county's new eastern high school presented the board with two choices: Long Reach High School or Snowden River High School.