School Board Tables Vote on Revisions to Drug and Alcohol Policy

Acknowledging the importance of addressing the issue of teenage substance abuse, the has decided to table a resolution to to revive ADAPT, the Alcohol/Drug Assistance Program for Teens, until revisions are made to the policy.

The during a New Year's Eve party  led school board members to consider reviving the district's drug-and-alcohol policy. The issue was discussed earlier this month at a school board meeting when board member Michael Caulfield decided to make the motion to re-instate the policy after hearing of the arrests.

According to Lt. James Wozniak, at 10 p.m. on New Year's Eve, police were called to a home on Garden Street on a report of a fight taking place in that area. When police arrived, they discovered a "large number of juveniles on the scene. After a brief investigation, it was determined that an underage party was being held with alcohol on the premise," according to the official police report.

The 47 juveniles were processed on the scene and charged with violating Cranford Township Ordinance 58-16, which prohibits underage possession/consumption of alcohol on private property. Many of the teens were 15 to 18 years old and students at . The ordinance was approved in 2001 and prohibits anyone "under the age of 21" from possessing or consuming alcohol on private property. All of the juveniles were released to adults at the scene with Juvenile Court proceedings pending. There were no adults charged in the incident.

Following an executive session meeting during which the policy was discussed, School Board President Mary Venditti said board members did not pass the resolution to reinstate the ADAPT program that Caulfield proposed, but they did agree to revisit the drug and alcohol policy.

Caulfield said he made the motion to re-instate the ADAPT program "in the form we had about a year ago, prior to the Indian Hills Superior Court decision in Bergen County."

The board member explained that the prior version of the policy had tiered consequences "for students who were charged by the police, or otherwise apprehended, as intoxicated or in possession of alcohol or drugs."

"Among those consequences were suspension from playing sports or participating in afterschool clubs for first-offender students who had been charged and failed to comply with the demands of the ADAPT program. There were other, more strict consequences for second offenders," Caulfield added. "The Indian Hills decision seemingly removed the school district's right to apply its ADAPT program if the incident in question occurred 'off campus' at a non-school related function/event, unless the upshot of the event caused substantial disruption at the school and interference with the education."

According to Venditti, the baord will seek input from various members of the school district, Police Department and municipality as they attempt to revise the policy. The board will consult with juvenile division of the Police Department, the and Athletic Director Darren Torsone, as well as coaches and educators who serve as advisors to clubs and activities. The goal, Venditti said, is to make sure that everyone is in agreement with the plan. The board president said it could take a month for the board to update the ADAPT program and approve it.

It is possible, Venditti said, the the new plan would include some consequences for student caught abusing drugs or alcohol at non-school functions, but they may not be as extreme as forcing the students to quit sports teams or clubs.

"We don't want to kick kids off teams, but we could bench them, maybe as a warning that its not acceptable behavior," Venditti said.

Caulfield said Monday that the intention is not to punish the students, but to "try to teach them responsibility and adherence to the law."

"It's not an attempt to usurp anyone's authority," Caulfield added. "I know the power of peer pressure." Caulfield said he would like students to look at the "potential consequences of their actions."

Caulfield also pointed out that when students abuse alcohol, it could affect their studies as well.

"Talk about having an impact on education, what about if a kids gets loaded every weekend? Don't tell me that's not having an effect on their education," Caulfield said, adding that the board is not trying to take away parents' rights.

The board also discussed the possibility of requiring parents to attend meetings before their child signs up for a sport or extracurricular activity in order to explain to them the rules and consequences if they break the rules established in the drug and alcohol policy.

During Monday night's school board meeting, parents also voiced their concerns regarding the ADAPT program.

"I don't believe that the ADAPT program as it was in place was effective," said Louann Frediani, the parent of a Cranford High School student. She said she doesn't think the students took the policy seriously.

Frediani doesn't feel it's the school district's responsibility to discipline students when they are caught using drugs or alcohol at non-school events.

"I don't think that's the answer. I don't think it's your responsibility. It has to start at home," Frediani told the board. "I don't think it's your responsibility to police things that happen off school grounds."

James Calabrese, who has three children in the high school, said his biggest concern is educating the students on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.

"We know what's going on in this town, and we're just trying to do the best we can with our kids," Calabrese said. "We have to educate these kids about how bad it is and the effects."

Calabrese, who moved to town in 2010, said he is also concerned that teens are abusing alcohol in their own homes, and parents may be condoning such actions.

Board member Camille Widdows said that "everybody is really missing the boat here." She believes students should be "more worried about what their parents will say (if they get caught with drugs or alcohol), not if they will get kicked off a team."

"It takes parenting," Widdows said. "There may be some people who are afraid to be parents. they're more concerned with pleasing the child. Maybe these adults also need to be educated."