The School Board voted Tuesday night to support legislation prohibiting youth from buying medication such as Coricidin with DXM (dextromethorphan) and requiring the drug's placement behind the counter at stores.
Support for the measure came despite a recommendation from state Sen. William "Bill" Mims to strike the proposed legislation and to support a resolution instead.
Gordon "Buddy" Fletcher, who lobbies for Loudoun County Public Schools, warned that Mims would not support the legislation.
School Board member J. Guerin Warren (Sterling) said he did not believe the School Board should act as pharmacy police. "IÕm not wild about it, personally. ItÕs a solution in search of a problem," he said. "I have a problem telling high school students that cough medicine should be regulated like beer and wine."
School Board member Bob Ohneiser (Broad Run) said the schools already have a zero tolerance drug policy in place.
School Board member Robert Dupree (Dulles) said students are getting high on Coricidin and Robitussin.
Board chairman John Andrews said this is the biggest drug issue in Loudoun. "This is the drug of choice for our young people," he said. "I want to send a message out to the community É this could be your kids."
BEFORE THE BOARD backed the proposed legislation, the members voted down a proposal to strike the initiative altogether. They also supported OhneiserÕs amendment that added the behind-the-counter restriction.
The School Board debated several other proposals before setting its legislative priorities Tuesday night.
The board voted against striking a legislative study into establishing fiscal autonomy for elected school boards.
School Board member Joe Guzman (Sugarland Run), chairman of the Legislative and Police Committee, objected to the proposal. "The current situation is effective," he said. "The fiscal authority lies with the supervisors, and the superintendent generates a budget based on his needs."
The supervisors may limit spending, but the School Board decides where to make cuts and additions in the budget.
"If we had fiscal autonomy, that could take varying forms," he said. "I donÕt think that is what the School board should be doing. É ThatÕs why we have supervisors."
Geurin said he would not object to a study, but he does not believe the legislature would ever support the autonomy. That is because it would give the School Board the right to set the property tax if lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment and voters supported it in a referendum. "I would assume the sentiment will be if you let School Boards levy a tax, they will go wild. They will tax us out of our homes."
Ohneiser supported the measure. "I like it because it sends a message É weÕre not really happy with what they are doing in Richmond."
In an interview prior to the board meeting, he said he also opposed spending $50,000 for a lobbyist, because he has not been able to persuade the General Assembly to dole out more money for Loudoun.
"If Richmond canÕt afford to fairly allocate educational dollars back to Northern Virginia, then itÕs my opinion we need to impress upon our elected representatives directly to fight for Northern VirginiaÕs ability to fund itself," he said.
OHNEISER SUGGESTED that Loudoun could run its own lottery system to benefit the schools or implement its own alcohol, entertainment and tobacco sales tax with the proceeds going directly to the countyÕs education fund.
The board reviewed a proposal to allow relatives of School Board members who do not live in the same household to be employed as substitute teachers and teacher aides. Guzman called for the vote to strike the proposal. "An anti-nepotism law has to have some teeth," he said.
Fletcher said the Virginia School Board Association supported the position, because smaller schools were having trouble filling positions.
Dupree said Fletcher should spend his time on other issues, since "we donÕt have a dog in the fight."
Priscilla Godfrey (Blue Ridge) and Andrews favored the proposal, because the communities were having trouble filling their jobs and Loudoun might need their support in the future.
THE BOARD VOTED in favor of striking a proposal that would have allowed the School Board to conduct electronic meetings. Guzman also favored eliminating this proposal. "This is an elected board and we need to be present for our business," he said. "That is part of the dynamic of working on this board."
Geurin agreed. "If you canÕt get to a meeting, maybe you should have thought about that before you ran for the office. The public should have the right to attend meetings."
Vice Chairman Thomas Reed supported the legislative proposal, because it would be helpful in other districts particularly when there is foul weather. Godfrey said it would increase participation.
Guzman said the legislative agenda included many items approved by the prior board. He favored more issues that directly affect students.
"A lot of these things, I would not have in here," he said. "My philosophy is this should be a document focusing on timely issues É instead of a historical document that carries a lot of positions."