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Students sent home for drug violations By JESSICA SMITH As many as 10 members of the Ashland High School speech and debate team were disqualified in a national forensics tournament in Oklahoma after they were caught using drugs or alcohol. Terry Littleton, Ashland school board chairwoman, said high school officials investigated the charges this week. She said the board expects a report from Superintendent Juli Di Chiro in the coming days. "The nature of the investigation is confidential," said Littleton, who could only confirm that students were caught drinking alcohol or using drugs and sent home early from the debate, held this month in Oklahoma. Five to 10 students, some of them recently graduated, may be involved, Littleton said. "It wouldn't be appropriate for the board to know much more," she added. Should school administrators take disciplinary action, the students could appeal to the board, which is expected to remain impartial. "We deliberately stay out of it," Littleton said. Ashland often celebrates its debate team, which won its third consecutive title this year in the state speech tournament. The team also has nabbed national headlines for a pair of debates with students from Cuba. It was unclear Friday what action, if any, would be taken against the students. Di Chiro was out of town and unavailable for comment. Telephone calls to AHS Principal Julie Reynolds were not returned. John Tredway, who coaches the debate team, also could not be reached. But the Ashland district's zero-tolerance policy on drugs requires a yearlong expulsion of students caught with illegal substances at school or school events. Under the rule, students can be readmitted to school if they adhere to the terms of a behavior contract. Since the rule was adopted in 1997, school officials have taken action against at least six students who violated the no-drug policy. According to newspaper reports: * In June 1999, three students were accused of distributing marijuana on campus. The students were allowed back to school in September 1999 after they agreed to the behavior contract. * Two varsity baseball players were expelled from school and the team in April 1998 after they drank alcohol on campus. * At a January 1998 meeting, the school board upheld the yearlong expulsion of a 17-year-old student who attended a school event after drinking alcohol. Reach reporter Jessica Smith at 776-4481, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.