.
Feedback

New Alcohol, Breathalyzer Policy Possible in Smithtown Schools

The Board of Education will vote on the proposed policy May 22.

The proposed a policy involving alcohol and breathalyzer tests during Tuesday's Board of Education meeting, a policy the board of education will vote on May 22.

"Any student for whom there is a reasonable suspicion of the use of alcohol before or during the school day, prior to or during an extra-curricular, interscholastic, or other school-related function, whether condusted on or away from school property, may be required to submit to a breathalyzer test," the policy states.

Tuesday night was the first reading of the policy. The second reading will take place during the May 8 board meeting.

The proposed policy also states that it is not intended to conduct random student testing and if implimented would aim to deter students from using alcohol while at school or school functions.

Following the meeting Superintendent Edward Ehmann said this proposed policy was not based of an incident but rather a want to keep students safe and promote positive decision making.

"We have a lot of deterring kind of assemblies, we try to do our best to get kids to make good decisions, but we felt this is something the board should look through the meetings and see if it's they want to impliment, just another tool in the arsenal to keep kids from doing something inappropriate in school," he said.

Get Real April 30, 2012 at 08:14 pm
I think that this is long overdue! Being a CURRENT student I can say I have seen numerous students come into school intoxicated or high. School is a place to learn, if a student wants to drink and get high with friends that is their own choice but when it is during school hours in the building or at a school function the student is the schools responsibility. If a student is subject to a breathalyzer test and doing nothing wrong it shouldnt be a problem, but if is a student is doing something wrong this will only further prove the schools point to punish that student and improve the school, and make smithtown a better place to be.
We Heart Long Island April 30, 2012 at 08:21 pm
Good job Get Real. I'm sure you speak for most students. You show more maturity than some of the "adults" in Smithtown.
Anonymous Person April 30, 2012 at 09:05 pm
I am a student at SHSW, and I approve of this completely. School is not a place for alcohol intoxication and consumption; it is a place for education. At many times, this school reeks with the odors of drugs and alcohol. Also, I wish there was some "Better Parenting Policy" instilled in the Smithtown community. If you find your kid using alcohol or drugs, don't go easy on him/her--make them scared to ever think about touching a bottle of beer or a drug again. I have never met a druggie in this school that is intelligent in the slightest bit. Kiss that scholarship, Ivy League College experience, and that high SAT score goodbye and prepare to go to Suffolk Community College or the military.
We Heart Long Island May 1, 2012 at 12:28 am
More great comments by a student. Thank you for letting us know their are a lot of mature students out there that know right from wrong.
robkoz May 1, 2012 at 12:33 am
Agreed. Glad to know my insane property taxes are going to kids that actually practice responsibility and accountability.
walter stibble May 1, 2012 at 01:38 am
Incredibly insulting comment and remark about all those that attend SCCC or enter into the military. You are obviously are a pompous piece of work. Your parents should be proud.
Local May 1, 2012 at 01:40 am
i have no problem with testing kids employees and even a banged up parent coming onto school property. how about having random sweeps with drug sniffing dogs and or black powder sniffing dogs????any objections??? i'm a father of three, and i think innocent people would be willing to give up some of their rights and freedoms to deal with and catch the guilty ones.
HeyJoe May 1, 2012 at 01:44 am
lets institute a police state and get it over with. we can give up all of our rights and freedoms and feel "safe" all the time.
Local May 1, 2012 at 01:57 am
AMEN my brother AMEN, sign me up joe. police state? what would it be too much to have a non invasive dogs walk through the halls while class is going on, i dont think so. as a responsible parent i would be happy to see the kids know that if they brought their drugs to school that there would be a good chance that a random sweep might get them arrested. only guilty people would object to any of this. clean your house joe....you'll feel better afterwards.
walter stibble May 1, 2012 at 01:58 am
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety....
Local May 1, 2012 at 02:00 am
sorry pal, i dont agree. only the guilty are concerned with restrictions.
We Heart Long Island May 1, 2012 at 02:00 am
You must of landed on the wrong thread by accident. This article was about confirming the intoxication of a teen in a public school. Surely you don't have a problem with that. Good luck finding your cuba article.
We Heart Long Island May 1, 2012 at 02:03 am
Many schools on Long Island do use police dogs in the schools for random sweeps. They only affect the rights of a student keeping drugs in their locker. Oh wait it's the schools locker so no rights trampled.
HeyJoe May 1, 2012 at 02:17 am
Hometown have you considered a move to North Korea. You would feel very safe there. not much in the liberty department but who needs that if you are innocent. the founding fathers must be rolling in their graves.
walter stibble May 1, 2012 at 02:19 am
Constitution, Smonstitution....
Local May 1, 2012 at 02:30 am
North Korea? ....no thanks, I don't eat dogs. God bless you Joe.
robkoz May 1, 2012 at 12:34 pm
HeyJoe's partly right. Mandatory vaccinations for children while the adult's have Constitutional rights and they can go around infecting everyone else. But that's another topic entirely.....
Get Real May 1, 2012 at 08:05 pm
I agree with you up until that last sentence. I seem to have the same views as you and have a high GPA and I am not going to an Ivy League school. As for the remark about SCCC, there is nothing wrong with it, it is a stepping stone for most, and a place where students who can't afford a four year college go to get an education. As for the military, they protect and serve you, you just bashed our military and implied they are all stupid people who drink and do drugs. You are no better than anyone else.
Get Real May 1, 2012 at 08:05 pm
Agreed!
Get Real May 1, 2012 at 08:07 pm
I agree, if no one is doing anything wrong there should be no problem!
Anonymous Person May 2, 2012 at 12:04 am
Alright Walter and Get Real: I need to clarify my previous post here because you're making me look like I'm some elitist jerk. I'm trying to say that these people who use drugs do not get very good grades; therefore, they go for a military job or enroll at SCCC. I understand that these two options are highly respectable paths, and I will admit that I am pondering upon joining the National Guard after I graduate college because I want to do something for my country. However, I am trying to get across that these two pathways are often chosen by these drug users because they failed to get prepared for a four-year college. I am in no way saying that our military is composed of drug users.
Mr. Stibble, Abe Lincoln once said, “I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.” Just because you unfortunately misinterpreted my comment does not mean you have any right to talk so disparagingly towards me. Just for the record, my parents are extremely proud of me because I get good grades, don't do alcohol or drugs, etc.
We Heart Long Island May 2, 2012 at 02:59 am
Glad you posted a response. Most of us knew what you meant. Some "adults" here seem to have an ax to grind. Perhaps they didn't take the right pathway.
HeyJoe May 2, 2012 at 05:47 pm
We heart long island, do you ever have a comment that isnt caustic or condescending to another poster? its a shame that the patch allows some posters to browbeat and attempt to intimidate other posters whose views differ from theirs.
Forever Hauppauge May 2, 2012 at 09:55 pm
We heart long island always has a caustic or condescending opinion about everything. Honestly don't think that school districts should waste more money of taxpayer dollars. Yes , I am against teenage drinking and against teenage drug abuse such as the heroin problem that teenagers are now facing. Parents have to take a more active roll in raising their children, bottom line. No one said it was easy. This is a school not a correctional institution.
scsddad May 3, 2012 at 02:40 pm
I think teachers should stop going out drinking before after school events it is a mad example to the kids. It shows the kid it is alright to drink before working. You can go in any school and in the teachers lounge it will be posted what bar to meet at. Also some teacher be friends a student on facebook with pictures of themselves partying
Anonymous Person May 7, 2012 at 03:44 am
For goodness-sakes, where is your evidence? You are completely wrong.
involvedparent May 8, 2012 at 10:24 pm
Anonymous, dad is not so far off. I have been to meet the teacher nights that teachers have informed parents they just came from happy hour. Have been at after school events that teachers have told me I should have came out with them earlier. My own children have been friends with teachers on facebook that I have immediately stopped because its not appropriate. While I do not think that every school has the next teacher happy hour event posted I do believe at times they probably do. I know they did back when I worked. I believe his point was that we should be setting a good example for all the students.
aweissbier May 10, 2012 at 09:09 am
I can assure you that there are no postings for happy hours inside of any school. Do you seriously believe this? Is anyone ignorant enough to believe that a professional teacher would announce they just came from the bar before open school night? This is simply a libelous form of teacher bashing. Nobody in their right mind is heading out "drinking" and then returning to school for a school function. If anything teachers do not want to participate in events such as prom because parent with their beliefs outside the law feel it is ok to let their child drink. It is this type of parent who allowed the kids to binge drink before the prom last year only to show up in a condition that required medical attention. This is why breathalyzers are needed. Too many people are friends with their children before they are parents. So why not cease posting outlandish rumors and instead post facts.
We Heart Long Island May 10, 2012 at 12:48 pm
Where do you see that?
We Heart Long Island May 10, 2012 at 12:54 pm
You're against teenage drinking but spending some money on a device to confirm teenage drinking is a waste. Thanks for the insult. I feel better now.

Newsletter & Alerts

Get the best stories each day and important breaking news

Subscribe

Not from Smithtown Patch? Find your Local Patch »

Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Cathryn S June 18, 2013 at 09:06 pm
You are absolutely right pj. Its comparing apples to oranges. Assisted living is for the elderlyRead More that cant take care of themselves. What noise is created. They are indoors and at the age where driving may not be an option. And the facility faces Route 25A. A main corridor that has been used as a main road for over 50 years. A road that has gas stations,bars, hospitals, nursing homes, retail stores and high schools presently on it. Why not an assisted living.
P. J. Miller June 18, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Exactly. Don't see a problem having it. Many of them don't even go outdoors.
Lilly June 19, 2013 at 09:05 am
We have an assisted living center right next to our neighborhood. For the most part it is quiet,Read More there is not a lot more traffic, it even looks nice. I will take it over another strip mall, supermarket, bar any day . Like the previous poster wrote, it serves our community.
Vick w June 18, 2013 at 08:18 am
how is this allowed!!! I thought sex offenders were not allowed to live or be within a certainRead More amount of feet from a school or park or playground???? This "person" is young also, born in 1990 so he might blend in by the high school. he raped an 11 year old girl and only got 2 years in prison.
Vick w June 18, 2013 at 08:22 am
to see the pig, click or copy link belowRead More http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/SomsSUBDirectory/offenderDetails.jsp?offenderid=34309
Nick June 18, 2013 at 04:06 pm
2 years in prison!!....I think a zero should have been added to his sentence.... If I were theRead More father of the 11 year old he would not be walking around today!
knee jerk June 17, 2013 at 09:02 am
Nice. While waiting for the gates to go up, you could have viewed some of the direlect buildings inRead More town.
knee jerk June 17, 2013 at 08:58 am
Creten?
The Smithtown Avenger June 17, 2013 at 12:19 pm
I don't think the town has a say in it. That is the good old MTA.
June Kempf June 13, 2013 at 09:14 am
As past president of the Sufolk County chapter of MDA and 30 year volunteer, I would like to urgeRead More young men in the community to take the challenge and enrich your lives as well as the families of vicitms of this dread disease. You have no idea how much you will be needed and appreciated. Go for it!