School Board Hears Vaping Presentation

The McDonald County

R-1 School District Board of Education, at its March 12 meeting, learned about vaping.

The McDonald County R-1 School District Board of Education, at its March 12 meeting, learned about vaping.

FCCLA teacher Deborah Shaffer and students gave a presentation on vaping. She said they had been working with the Southwest Missouri Alliance on an anti-vaping campaign. Vaping is the use of electronic cigarettes and other such devices.

Shaffer said it was “a real eye-opener” for her to see some of the devices, which can look like an ordinary jump drive. School resource officer Buck Owen said THC cartridges for vapes are 70 percent THC. He also said vapes are very easy to acquire online.

Shaffer and the students’ presentation said vapes are trendy and addictive. They said they are attractive because of use by a family member or friend, interesting flavors, a belief that they are less harmful than smoking and also they are cheaper than smoking.

FCCLA is emphasizing education. Shaffer suggested seminars or possibly mandatory classroom education and also possibly holding a seminar that parents can attend.

Shaffer said she hopes the board will consider changing the district’s policy on vaping to move it from being listed with tobacco to having its own category and its own punishment.

McDonald County High

School assistant principal Jeff Wilke said he believes vapes should be treated as paraphernalia and make the punishment for possession of one a three-day suspension.

Shaffer said, while smoking can cause cancers and other serious diseases, it usually takes years. Vaping can cause lung damage in a year or less, she said.

Also on March 12 Superintendent Mark Stanton addressed the coronavirus situation. He said the school district is continuing to monitor the situation and is taking a lot of guidance from the health department. He said he thought it was great students would be on spring break this week and that families would have time to spend together away from school. He said the school district would keep people informed of further developments on social media.

Adam Lett spoke to the board about the Missouri Interscholastic Cycling League. He said the mountain biking league would fill a niche for students not in traditional sports. The league would have five weekend races, typically a three- to five-mile loop. Grades six

through 12 would be able to

participate, and boys and girls would compete separately, he said.

There would be eight categories at the high school — freshman, sophomore, junior varsity and varsity, each with boys and girls competing separately.

The board approved adding the mountain biking program.