POLAND SCHOOLS 6 drug arrests prompt stand on zero-tolerance policy

The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted at the high school for more than two months.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
and PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITERS
POLAND -- School officials won't sit still for drug trafficking and abuse in local schools, the superintendent said.
"The school board here has a zero-tolerance policy," Robert Zorn, schools superintendent, said Monday evening as a school board meeting was about to begin.
Any student found guilty of drug distribution will be expelled, Zorn said, adding that expulsion during a student's senior year means failing that entire year.
Penalties for those found guilty merely of illegal drug possession will depend on whether they are first offenders or repeat offenders, and whether they are in a treatment program, he said. Students found guilty of possession will receive some sort of suspension, he said.
"This is happening all over America, but Poland is taking a stand that we will not tolerate it," Zorn said.
No written reports yet: Zorn said, however, that he and high school Principal Brian Wolfe have not received any written reports from township police concerning any of the Poland Seminary High School students arrested on drug charges so far.
"Under federal and state law, we have to give them due process. We have to know what the charges are. We have to have hearings," Zorn said.
The arrest of the three boys -- one 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds -- Sunday brings the total number of arrests to six. Police say the investigation is ongoing and more arrests can be expected.
Police report that all of the students arrested were involved in the use or distribution of Xanax, commonly used to treat anxiety disorders, and OxyContin, a morphine-based painkiller often prescribed for cancer patients. Both drugs require a doctor's prescription for legal use.
The 15-year-old student will be charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. The 16-year-olds will both be charged with possession of a controlled substance. Police reports say all three boys are at the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center.
Earlier arrests: Police made the first arrest of a 17-year-old student at the Northeast Ohio Regional Center for Adolescent Treatment in Niles on Wednesday. That student is being charged with felony aggravated trafficking.
Two more 16-year-old male students were arrested Friday. One will be charged with drug abuse and the other will be charged with drug trafficking.
Police say the arrests are the result of an investigation conducted at the high school for more than two months. Because of the ongoing investigation, Police Chief Carl Massullo would not say if officers have had any undercover dealings with the students.
Despite the arrest of these teen-agers, Kevin Rauch of Teen Challenge says OxyContin is much more popular with adults. He said the street value of the drug can range from $20 to $40 a pill.
One explanation: Rauch said the only explanation for the growing, widespread use of OxyContin is its extreme effect. He also said the drug is highly addictive, making it difficult for abusers to stop using it once they start.
Officials in Poland have said the schools here have no greater problem with drugs than any other community. They say they are taking a straightforward approach to dealing with the situation.
"I was out in the high school the morning after this broke. It was deathly quiet. Some kids were crying because they don't think it can happen in Poland," Zorn said.