Story by Kerry Poberson, Opinions Editor
Starting next year, a tip box will be placed in either the counseling office or the library in light of recent events. Administration was appalled to find that major drug dealing had been occurring on campus unbeknownst to them, and the need for this box became apparent.
“We were just shocked that we had to be tipped off from a kid [about these events] who was not even from our campus. Don’t we care? We know that kids are concerned about what is going on at SDA, and so the need for this suggestion box is obvious,” said Ms. Nebolon, counselor.
“We have realized that we need a way for students to get other students immediate help if they are engaged in any life-threatening behavior, like drug use, for example. This box will allow students to tell administration about behavior that needs to be immediately addressed, but the good thing is that kids will be able to do it completely anonymously,” said sophomore PAL Cole Teza.
The motivation behind the creation of this box is so that students can feel safe about referring their friends to the administration that they are concerned about without the worry of their name being mentioned when the other student is called in. The box’s contents will be kept completely confidential.
Nancy Perry Sheridan, of the Student Support Services and head of the San Dieguito District Alliance for Drug-Free Youth stated that, “Having a suggestion box reinforces to students that SDA is a very caring community. Every student matters. This can be a systematic source of resource and support, reminding one that there are people at school that can help a student think through a difficult situation or set of circumstances – there are always solutions. This is a very comforting thought if one is troubled or overwhelmed.”
This box will either be placed in the library or counseling office, which is also home to the PALs referral box. “The PALs referral box is a place where students can refer other students to a PAL if they need to talk out an issue,” explained Teza. “The suggestion box, on the other hand, would be a way to directly tell administration about a student who is in serious, immediate danger.”
Teza continued on, stating that, “It would be easy for students to jokingly refer their friends in the box, but if taken seriously, this box could potentially save someone’s life.”
This box is currently being constructed and will officially be put to use at the start of the 2011-2012 school year. The PALs and students from ASB will be making trips to homerooms when the school year commences, in order to educate and inform other students about the use of this tip box.
“For this box to be effective, it may take a little education of the student body and a bit of publicity, but it will all be worth it,” said Ms. Nebolon. “All we are asking of students is to take responsibility for the integrity and safety of the campus. We want everyone to lead happy, healthy lifestyles.”