The RIH out of school conduct policy that saw a lengthy debate in the community, and then a court challenge, is being cited by other communities considering similar actions to thwart underage drinking.
NJ’s Star Ledger recently published a lengthy article based on new efforts in Cranford, NJ, and their report includes reference to the Ramapo Indian Hills lawsuit which is apparently before an appeals court.
In the RIH case, parents sued on the basis that the schools have no authority to punish students with respect to actions unrelated to a school function. According to the Star Ledger, “A state administrative law judge ruled the policy must include language requiring a nexus between the off-campus behavior and the school. The district revised its policy and appealed, said its attorney, Stephen Fogarty”
The Star Ledger is currently running an online poll to gauge the sentiment of their readers, and the votes are currently showing a trend with readers expressing dissatisfaction with school’s seeking to punish students for off-campus behavior.
The lengthy article concerning Cranford offers insights into the role of social networking platforms such as Facebook providing fodder for students drinking or engaging in conduct that would lead to punishment.
The existence of social networking problems is an interesting element in the discussion over underage drinking, as it makes it much easier for parents, school officials, and police to monitor the behavior of teenagers. Social networking platforms have changed the dynamics of social interaction, for better and worse, and are at times used by students engaged in cyberbullying.
But with respect to underage drinking, it seems the social networking platforms are simply making more visible the issue of underage drinking. The US Department of Health and Human Services has published a report by The Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism which shows steady declines in alcohol abuse between 1991-2009.
The effects of alcohol abuse by underage drinkers is, and has been, a serious issue. Annually, about 5,000 youth under age 21 die from motor vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, and homicides and suicides that involve underage drinking.
Monitoring The Future, which each year surveys approximately 50,000 8th, 10th and 12th grade students, sees a steady decline in the use of alcohol with historic lows, but it does report an increase in the use of marijuana among high school students. The increase in marijuana use was noted as being statistically insignificant, and the existence of a previously legal form of synthetic marijuana – sometimes known as K2 which was included in the survey- probably played a role in that increase.