GARDINER -- The School Administrative District 11 Board of Directors just got tougher on drug and alcohol use.

One time, and you're out.

Prior to Thursday, a student would be suspended for a first offense, suspended or considered for expulsion with a second offense and then expelled if they were caught a third time with illegal drugs or alcohol, Superintendent Paul Knowles said.

"The no-strike piece is opposed to the three-opportunity strike piece," Knowles said Friday. "If caught in possession of any kind of drug or alcohol, you're going to be referred to me for expulsion."

He said the district cooperates with Gardiner police, Maine State Police and the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office.

Students accused of possession, accompanied by their parents, will go before the school board, which will make the final decision on expulsion.

This policy is for students in grades 6-12.

"The board's piece is that they want to see these children," Knowles said. "(Board members) feel it's part of their responsibility to have these kinds of serious infractions brought before them for consideration."

Steve Hunnewell, board vice chairman, said there is no other school district that he knows of that has a tougher policy than what the SAD 11 board passed Thursday night.

In most schools, it takes up to three drug or alcohol offenses for the student to be sent to a school board for an expulsion hearing.

But now, he said, all SAD 11 students caught with drugs or alcohol at school face a mandatory expulsion hearing after their first offense.

If a student is expelled by the board, they could attend SAD 11 schools only by later petitioning the board.

"I think when the board started taking a close look at our old policy, which was similar to most other schools, we started asking ourselves, 'Why do we tolerate this type of behavior?'" Hunnewell said. "There is absolutely zero tolerance now, as it should be. Not only are these offenses illegal, but to have it brought into our schools is even worse."

He said the board instituted the use of canine drug searches last year. That will continue this year at both the middle and high schools.

"I think taken together with our new policy, we are sending a clear message to our kids that we're dead serious about providing a drug-free environment for them," he said.

"The overwhelming majority of our kids want it that way, and we're determined to give it to them."

Hunnewell said administrators already were taking a tough stand by suspending violators the maximum 10 days allowed.

"But frankly, we felt even that was not going far enough, and personally I think that, for some, it probably even seemed like a mini-vacation from school," he said. "With expulsion, you're gone."

Knowles said SAD 11 isn't having any more of a problem with illegal drugs and alcohol than any other school system. He said sometimes children just make poor choices.

In the case of pre-kindergarten students through fifth grade, he said those caught with drugs or alcohol are referred to him.

"It does happen at an early age for some students," he said. "Certainly, it's not as widespread as older students."

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811,

Ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com