Mountain View High School

One of the major responsibilities of Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District is to protect the health and safety of students in its charge. The position of the district is that the use and abuse of controlled substances, commonly called drugs and alcohol, are not only against the law, but harmful to the individual, fellow students, the school community, and eventually to society.

 

The district subscribes to and supports the state and national program for drug-free schools. It is the district's intent to keep its schools free of the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol and from the harmful effects that such substances have on the lives of students. In those instances when use and abuse do occur, the schools will take the prescribed disciplinary action. Concurrently, assistance will be offered to students and parents through intervention programs.

 

Co-curricular activities include, but are not limited to, interscholastic athletes, rally committee, school music groups, drama and dance performance, elected positions (ASB, class officers, etc.) and other activities in which students are representing the school as an
organized group. Students in these activities are defined as going to and from school, while on campus, during brunch or lunch whether on or off campus, school activities on or off campus, and going to or coming from these activities.

 

The purposes of the Co-curricular Drug and Alcohol Policy are to provide participants with a healthy, safe environment to assist them in obeying the law; to encourage them to take responsible, effective control of their lives; and to take steps to promote, enhance and
maintain a drug-free co-curricular program.

 

Students participating in co-curricular activities shall not use, possess, or be under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Prior to participating in a co-curricular activity, students shall sign an agreement to be drug and alcohol free. The parents or guardians will also sign, indicating that both the student and the parent understand the policy and that they accept the consequences, if it is violated. The school will be responsible for the application and enforcement of this policy while the student is at school, at school activities and at other times when the school authorities are informed of and can substantiate violations. In each case, an appropriate follow up shall be made.

 

Participants in co-curricular activities who violate the drug and alcohol policy will be subject to co-curricular disciplinary action in addition to action delineated by existing district policies - Education Code 51260:

Possession or Use of Alcohol or Illegal drugs

When any student uses or possesses alcohol or illegal drugs at school or while under school jurisdiction, the following shall result:

In addition, the following action may be taken:

FIRST OFFENSE: The student will be suspended from the team or activity for one contest or one week. The student and the parent(s) will meet with the coach, or director and the Assistant Principal/Attendance and Discipline, if necessary, to determine the conditions of reinstatement. Enrollment and participation in an approved intervention counseling or education program may be accepted as an alternative to suspension. In this case, a time schedule for attendance and completion will be agreed upon. Responsibility for submitting verification of participation rests with the student. Failure to comply will result in reinstatement of the suspension for at least twice the original time.

SECOND OFFENSE: Any second offense will result in suspension from the team for the remainder of the season for athletes or the semester for those in other activities. A student who is suspended for a season or semester under this policy may not participate again in co-curricular activities until she/he completes a substance abuse program as outlined in the First Offense. Any subsequent offense will require a conference, including the student, the parent, the advisor/coach and a school, to establish a program of appropriate action.

SELF-REFERRAL: Students who voluntarily self-refer to the school's intervention program will not be suspended from participation in their activity unless otherwise determined by the conference required in the First Offense.

VERIFICATION OF VIOLATION: Rumors cannot be a basis for restricting student participation unless they are discussed with the student and substantiated by the coach and/or advisers and administration.