More than a dozen students at Treasure Mountain Middle School have learned that Park City School District intends to take its "zero tolerance" policy toward drugs and weapons very seriously.
During the past week, disciplinary action has been taken against 12 students and additional measures may be taken, said Superintendent Donald Fielder.Six students were expelled or suspended for buying, selling or exchanging marijuana and prescription drugs. Some will be out of school for the rest of this year. Two more were suspended for 10 days for taking drugs from the locker of another student and destroying them.
The district began a collaborative investigation with Park City police two weeks ago after a student became ill, apparently from drug use.
Two students who brought a derringer-type gun to school were suspended for 10 days and face a hearing that could result in additional discipline, said Fielder.
The gun was unloaded and had no trigger, "but other students didn't know that. They could only see it as dangerous," he said.
Tuesday, a small group of Treasure Mountain students concerned about the measures being taken against fellow pupils staged a demonstration at the school, demanding immediate information, Fielder said. When administrators refused to divulge information about matters that were still under investigation, two of the students wouldn't return to class as directed and became belligerent. They were suspended for three days.