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TEXAS - Lewisville ISD board members reaffirmed its stance against alcohol, drug and tobacco use among its students Monday but voted to alter the punishment for those who violate the policy. The board voted to change a portion of the extracurricular code of conduct, mandating that students who are caught off campus with alcohol or drugs be removed from extracurricular competition for a certain amount of time for the first two offenses instead of being removed from the program all together, which was the previous policy. “We felt that for the first offense, we wanted to keep the students in the program,” said Dean Tackett, LISD spokesperson. “There’s more supervision that way. Staying under the umbrella of extracurricular activities allows us to provide guidance and gives the students a reason to want to come back. It’s more corrective than punitive.” The punishment will differ based on offense. Use and/or possession of alcohol would lead to removal from competition for two contests or performances for the first offense, removal from competition for contests or performances for a semester for the second offense and removal from extracurricular activities for the remainder of district enrollment for the third offense. Each offense would also require staff counseling. First offenders for drug use would mean the removal from competition for three contests, with a second violation resulting in removal from competition for a semester and a third infraction resulting in the removal from extracurricular activities for the rest of the student’s district enrollment. “The philosophy is that students who are in extracurricular activities are less likely to be involved in drugs and alcohol,” Tackett said, “and that they have a higher GPA and do better in school.” The board also voted to officially eliminate corporal punishment as an option for the district. Corporal punishment, which includes paddling and spanking, had been in the district’s and state board’s code of conduct for years, Tackett said. He said LISD hasn’t used corporal punishment in years and three years ago decided informally not to use it. Return to Front page
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