CAPS student expelled for drugs

CADILLAC - A female Cadillac Junior High School student who brought prescription drugs on school grounds was expelled for the remainder of the school year.

Principal Jack Richards said the student received an immediate 10-day, out-of-school suspension and the incident was reported to the local police.

CAPS Superintendent Paul Liabenow said the student brought in two of her mother's prescription drugs. The student passed one off to a fellow student but Liabenow said both tablets were accounted for and neither had been consumed.

Under CAPS rules, Liabenow said that is distribution of a controlled substance and the district has a zero-tolerance policy.

"The student has never been in trouble like this before," Liabenow said. "This kid is a good kid but she made one major mistake."

This is the third time this school year CAPS has had to deal with a drug-related situation and the second time it has dealt with prescription drugs. The third incident was marijuana possession.

To help eliminate drugs in the schools, Liabenow said the district brings in drug-sniffing dogs on a quarterly basis. He also said he wants students to know they cannot bring illegal or controlled substances to school.

The expelled student will be earning a portion of her credits needed to complete the school year and the school plans on working with her family to maintain her education at home. She will be able to return to CAPS in fall 2004.

Liabenow said he could not get into details because the student is a minor but he did say most often children get involved with substance abuse as a way to escape their circumstances.

"We need to be looking for discouragement or depression and offer those students help," Liabenow said. "It would include someone to talk to or a mentor. There is so much to do but at the same time we don't have revenue to increase staffing."