Parents worried about alcohol use by Twin Falls High students

Students at Twin Falls High School are becoming more tolerant of alcohol use on campus, according to a recent survey.

Now the question is: Who will do something about it before it's too late?

About 30 parents voiced their concerns Monday afternoon about the pervasiveness of drugs and alcohol at the high school. Several parents asked the district to do more to fight the growing problem, while others offered their support.

Principal Ben Allen said he welcomed the meeting as well as the support.

"It takes parents, staff and students to create a culture where this (substance abuse) is not acceptable," Allen said. "And based on our survey, the problem is that it's becoming more acceptable by students who do not normally participate in it."

The high school conducted the survey as part of an eligibility requirement for grant money.

Sherri Molina, the district's coordinator of the Safe and Drug Free Schools program, said students are reluctant to speak out against alcohol and drug use on campus because they fear repercussions from other students.

And students are not the only people who are afraid to speak out.

Parents who attended the meeting on Monday asked not to be identified by the Times-News because they feared that their kids would be singled out in school.

"That's kind of the problem because we have parents and students who want something to be done, but nobody is willing to step up and do something," Molina said. "I think there is a lot of frustration and I understand that, but sometimes it's not very easy for schools to prove that a student is intoxicated."

She said the school can only require random drug testing of students who are involved in athletics or other school-sponsored activities. Federal law prohibits schools from testing students who do not participate in school activities unless a parent authorizes the drug test.

But confusion and disagreement also appear to be factors in the way the school district is approaching substance abuse.

Many parents are asking for a zero-tolerance policy on school campuses, while others say intervention programs would be more effective.

Even the types of drugs that are prevalent on school campuses are being debated.

Allen said that while alcohol use among students was increasing, other drugs appeared to be declining.

But Molina said that wasn't true because the use of drugs such as cocaine and painkillers also is rising.

However, everyone seemed to agree that somebody needs to do something.

Times News