TOBACCO RULES: Some School Officials Disappointed in Attorney General’s Opinion
MINOT – Some school officials are disappointed in Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem’s opinion about enforcing tobacco rules off school grounds for students who are 18 or older.
Stenehjem said Monday that Hillsboro’s school board was wrong to bar an 18-year-old student from attending her high school senior prom for smoking outside school grounds.
“It makes it real difficult to deal with kids when you are forced to be inconsistent,” said Minot school activities director Pat McNally. “A 17-year old has to follow these rules. Just because a kid turns 18, he doesn’t have to …”
Surrey High School Principal Paul Trautwein said schools are trying to create a healthy environment for their students.
“When the strengths of our policies are weakened by decisions such as this, how are we going to be able to hold these kids to any accountability?” he said. “I understand it’s their right as an adult but still, they are participating in an environment which requires nonsmoking, nondrinking.”
Garrison Superintendent Steve Brannan said he was not surprised by the opinion. He said most schools will take another look at their policies.
“I don’t think its going to create any problems or new loopholes,” he said.
Stenehjem’s opinion did not say whether members of high school sports teams would be exempt from discipline if they were caught using tobacco, and he declined to speculate about its effect in other cases.
“There is support for the view that people who are engaged in extracurricular activities, like sports, are representatives of the school, and the schools have a little bit more discretion and authority,” he said.
