Drug incidents at Fulton High School are above the state and county average, according to reports released last week by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
"I wasn't aware we were above average," said Todd Gray, secretary of the board of education at the Fulton School District. "If there's an issue, we need to address it."
Reported drug incidents
South Callaway 0 0.2 0 1.1 0 0.5The District Discipline Incident report was released June 1 by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It shows that in 2014-15, Fulton High School led all four public Callaway County high schools in drug incidences with 1.8 incidents per 100 students. In 2013-14, the same number at FHS was 0.3 incidents per 100 students.
"We never did do anything at the high school," said Major Roger Rice, Fulton Police Department. Rice said FPD sponsored elementary level D.A.R.E. programs, but those were cut two years ago.
According to the state report, North Callaway High School had 0.5 incidents per 100 students in 2014-15, and New Bloomfield and South Callaway high schools had no reported incidents. Fulton High School has a higher percentage of drug incidents than Hickman, Douglass and Battle high schools in Columbia, the report also stated.
"I would have thought Columbia would have had a bigger (drug) problem ," Rice said. "Fulton may seem like it has a bigger problem than the other high schools, but I just think it's more reported."
Numbers in the state report seem to follow a trend of increased county-wide drug activity. According to Lt. Clay Chism of the Callaway County Sheriff's Department, drug activity in the county has increased.
"Our drug arrests this year are on pace to be slightly higher than last year," said Chism. "We experience drug issues in all parts of the county."
Many schools have anti-drug programs such as Red Ribbon Week and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). According to Melissa Head, the principal counselor and SADD sponsor of North Callaway High School, these programs help students learn about the effects of drugs and alcohol.
"This year, we had our Red Ribbon Week in October in conjunction with homecoming," she said.
Driven by the student-led SADD organization, nearly half of the students at North Callaway High School make an important promise.
"We sign pledges," said Head. "This year, 47 percent signed the pledge. That's pretty decent for a high school."
Kevin Hillman, superintendent of South Callaway School District, said his high school has drug education events every semester.
"We have Red Ribbon Week and various speakers from time to time," said Hillman. "There is going to be something every semester."
However, Fulton High School administrators take a different approach with their programs, adding drug education into the curriculum, according to Jacque Cowherd, superintendent of Fulton School District.
While the Fulton district's elementary and middle schools have drug awareness programs, Fulton High School does not have a school-wide Red Ribbon Week or SADD program, according to school district spokesperson Karen Snethen.
"I taught at the high school between 1999 and 2012, and I don't recall having Red Ribbon Week," Snethen added. "I don't know the reasoning behind that; I don't have the answer for that at this point."
Although they do not have a school-wide drug-education program, Fulton School District requires all students to take a health curriculum class before graduating.
"The health curriculum has drug education in it," said Snethen. "At the high school, they are required to have one-half credit (one semester) any time between their freshman and senior years."
In addition to school-taught programs, many school districts once relied on drug education presentations given by law-enforcement officials. Drug education programs such as D.A.R.E. have been cut from the schools, law officials said.
"The sheriff's office no longer participates in a drug program," said Jeff Harding, an investigator with the Callaway County Sheriff's Office. "We had a D.A.R.E. program; however, due to staffing issues, we had to cut that program."
According to Jefferson City Police Sgt. Jason Payne, that department still relies on the government-funded D.A.R.E. program to teach elementary students about the effects of drugs.
"We receive a grant for the D.A.R.E. program," Payne said. "The money has been there every year I've asked for funds."
Jefferson City high schools also have presentations given regularly by law enforcement officials, he added.
"I know that our officer over there speaks to classes about the effects of drugs," Payne said. "Any education on the effects of drugs is important."
Drug incidents at Fulton High School reflect the socio-economic issues in the community, according to Cowherd.
"The real message is that the schools are reflective of the community," he said. "If the analysis is that the schools have a problem, so does the community."
In Callaway County, drug incidents also are tied to a rise in other crimes such as thefts, Harding said.
"Ninety percent of the drug problem in Callaway County has to do with stealing," he said. "People aren't stealing your TV to hang it on the wall; they are stealing it for drug money."
Fulton police officials agree that drug incidents in the county are part of a bigger problem with crime.
"I would say that 80 percent of crimes are drug-related, whether directly or indirectly," Rice said of crimes in Fulton.
Statewide, high schools are striving for high graduation rates and reduced dropout rates. Cowherd said suspensions and expulsions negatively affect graduation rates, which may hurt the community.
"The state goal is to graduate kids," said Cowherd. "When you kick kids out, it hurts your graduation rate and local economy because they aren't employable."
He also said repeat offenders of the school's drug policy are dealt with strictly.
"Repeat offenders come to the board for expulsion," he said, adding only the school board has the authority to expel a student.
Cowherd said that hasn't happened in two years - maybe because of increased hallway monitoring.
"The camera systems we put in place are monitored by people that notice unusual behavior," he said. "We've increased the number of teachers monitoring halls between classes."
Although the numbers appear negative, Cowherd thinks those same numbers can be looked at in a positive manner, he added.
"If it's being reported, it means we're doing something about it," he said.
According to Kevin Habjan, president of the school board of the Fulton School District, the drug issue in high schools is a nationwide problem.
"I think that it's a function of society, and it's not something a school board can change," he said.
Habjan said that he needs to learn more about drug-education programs such as Red Ribbon Week and SADD.
"Without being familiar with the program, I can't speak to that," he said.
This summer, the Fulton School's board of education will discuss potential changes concerning the district drug policy, according to Gray.
"I will find out if we're doing anything about it," he said. "If we're not, we will be."