Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll: the essential ingredients for an American high school experience. Well maybe not rock n’ roll, but at least the other two.

It doesn’t take too hard of a search here at CHS to see, or smell rather, that drug use is prevalent among CHS students.

“We know students are going to make choices that aren’t great,” Assistant Principal Marci Pieper said. “But that doesn’t make it right.”

Pieper explained that if a student were found under the influence or in possession of a controlled substance at school, the student would be subject to a 5 day out of school suspension. However if students go to a drug seminar through the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse the punishment can be reduced to 3 days out of school suspension, and 2 days in school suspension.

“The administration doesn’t actively walk down the halls and scope people out,” Pieper said. “When we know someone is blatantly doing drugs we pursue the issue.”

Students may grumble and complain about the stingy drug policy, Pieper notes Clayton is quite different than other local schools.

“Clayton is such a different place, which is one of the beauties of this school,” Pieper said. “We work with students as individuals, while at any other school in the area students caught with drugs are immediately suspended, often for 90 to 180 days,”

Although CHS prides its ability to work with students on this issue, one message is unwavering.

“Don’t do drugs,” Student Resource Officer John Zlatic said. “The consequences are very severe. If students get arrested, they have the drug charge attached to their names forever.”

Other than the obvious legal implications of drug use, Zlatic pointed out the consequences drug use can have for student athletes, college acceptance, scholarships and getting a job.

“Students have to understand that when they use drugs they are partaking in an activity that could hold life long consequences” Zlatic said.

Pieper adds that those consequences could be more than a mark on a student’s permanent record.

“It is one of those things where you don’t know what is going to happen,” Pieper said. “You guys think you are invincible, but it only takes one bad decision to end a student’s life.”

Although the risks and consequences are high the administration is always trying to help students make better decisions.

“We don’t want kids to make bad choices, we have options for them,” Pieper said. “That is the reason why we have clubs and organizations. When kids are involved, they tend to get in less trouble.”

Athletic director Bob Bone can attest to this fact.

“When students are a part of a team they are not only making commitments to themselves but also to their teammates,” Bone said. “Students need to take that commitment seriously and when they do drugs they are letting everyone down.”

Bone also feels that involvement in sports helps students fight the peer pressure to do drugs.

“If you have a reason to say no, that helps to deal with the pressure,” Bone said.

In the end no matter how many programs the administration makes, or how appealing they make sobriety look it is ultimately up to the student.

“It’s a choice every student has to make for themselves, we just hope they make the right choice,” Pieper said. ⎫