BY ERIKA ANDERSON

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--Members of the Atlanta Area Association of Independent Schools (AAAIS) have joined together to adopt a mutual policy regarding students and the illegal use of alcohol and drugs.

At a press conference held Dec. 2 at St. Pius X High School in Atlanta, Donald Sasso, principal of St. Pius and president of the AAAIS, read the statement prepared and signed by heads of Atlanta area private schools.

“We...stand together firmly in our belief that students who attend our schools harm themselves and endanger our communities when they engage in the illegal use of alcohol and drugs,” Sasso read from the policy.

The policy, which was adopted at the AAAIS meeting held Oct. 21, reinforces a pledge made by independent schools to support Georgia state laws regarding alcohol and illegal drug use. Other aspects of the policy include a commitment to educate parents and students on the dangers of drugs and illegal alcohol use and to publish and reinforce policies concerning this issue in student handbooks.

Administrators have also promised to inform other independent schools if their students are involved in alcohol or illegal drug use while at other school campuses or school-sanctioned activities.

The AAAIS has also pledged to comply with the reporting obligations of the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act of 1997, which sets restrictions on driver’s licenses, including revocations of licenses for those charged in illegal alcohol- and drug-related offenses. The act also suspends or denies driver’s licenses to students with excessive unexcused school absences or to students who have threatened or harmed teachers.

The policy also stresses a need for education of students and parents in an “effort to promote the healthy development of our children,” Sasso said.

After Sasso finished reading the policy, Atlanta Police Chief Beverly Harvard was presented with the document, signed by 35 heads of Atlanta independent schools, including the Marist School and St. Pius and several Catholic elementary schools.

Chief Harvard said that students are beginning illegal drug and alcohol use as early as elementary school.

“We as a police department see the end results of tragedy. That’s too late,” she said. “Through proactive efforts like those exhibited today, we can raise awareness of these particular problems.”

Chief Harvard said that her police colleagues throughout the country are facing the same problems and that it is important that schools are firm in their policies.

“We welcome the involvement of these schools in making it crystal clear as to where they stand on these issues,” she said.

Susan Groesbeck, headmistress of Holy Innocents Episcopal School in Atlanta and secretary of AAAIS, said that it is a false assumption to believe private schools are not touched in some way by these illegal behaviors.

“As independent schools, we are not immune or isolated from the problems of society and that includes drugs and alcohol,” she said. “We are all fighting this battle together across school lines.”

Groesbeck also said that AAAIS members feel that “things are coming together.”

“I think that the parents are becoming more aware and we felt that with Chief Harvard’s support, we could make a difference,” she said. “We have a unique opportunity as independent schools in that our parents are involved. But sadly, they are not always as aware of the things that we see.”

Barbara Poole, principal of St. Jude the Apostle School in Atlanta, also believes that it will take parent cooperation to make this new policy successful.

“Since the majority of unsafe activity occurs outside of school hours, it is even more crucial that parents work together with one another by communicating what their children are doing and sharing responsibility for supervision,” she said. “Young people typically need more supervision than they will happily accept. As adults we need to base our decisions on what we know is best for our children rather than what they say they need from us.”

In addition to the association’s policy, AAAIS officials said that it is important to know that each school has its own policy when dealing with specific incidents of illegal drug and alcohol offenses within its school community.