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"The best thing [to stop students] would be if they knew it was bad for their health and therefore never started in the first place" - Joel Thompson, Unit II Principal
Joel Thompson, Unit Principal at Mt. Lebanon High School
Is Mt. Lebanon affected by JUUls?
Is Mt. Lebanon affected by JUUls?
Mt. Lebanon High School, whose students mainly fall in middle to high socioeconomic status, is not immune to the global rise in teenage e-cigarette usage . According to Unit III Principal and head of disciplinary actions for students, Joel Thompson, "the amount of confiscated vapes, and JUULs in particular, have increased exponentially over the last two years."
Being a relatively well-educated district, Thompson says "virtually no one smokes cigarettes because we all know the negative health effects." Since elementary school, students in the Mt. Lebanon School District have been warned of the detrimental effects of cigarettes. It has been labeled as carcinogenic, malodorous, and irresponsible. Students have been taught techniques throughout elementary and middle school on how to refuse cigarettes and ignore peer pressure. They have not however, been informed of the negative effects e-cigarettes by administration.
Who uses JUULs?
Who uses JUULs?
When asked which type of student seems to use JUULs the most Thompson replied by saying "Its all type of students, all ages. Males, females, athletes and some of our best academic students. There is no particular person. I don't think there has been any particular type of student. Basically it just depends on students who make poor choices which everyone does."
Despite all of the preventative action of the district, the spread of e-cigarettes has infiltrated Mt. Lebanon Middle Schools. At Jefferson Middle School, "There have been cases of finding [juuls] on students." Age seems not to be a factor in this crisis.
Knowing the sheer number of self-proclaimed "JUUL Fiends", and the spread of e-cigarette use, the administration's role in preventing students from using vapes is growing in importance. Because e-cigarettes and vapes are constantly changing and being innovated, Mr. Thompson held a faculty meeting to inform the staff of the target "So I took some pictures off the internet or things we have confiscated and showed teachers just so they have an idea. When you look at it you don't necessarily know what it is. So just make sure they knew how it was used, what the charger looks like. Students say it is a zip drive. " The innocent looking device passes into and out of school daily. Students use JUULs in the bathrooms and even in classrooms, and charging their JUULs during class. By making sure teachers were aware of what the device is and how it functions, the school is trying to crack-down on this previously unchecked issue.
How do you discipline of JUUL users?
How do you discipline of JUUL users?
Mt. Lebanon High School has changed it's policy in handling the growing JUUL trend. Thompson details that "We cite students when they get busted, they face fees, potential drivers license suspension... It is similar to a disorderly conduct or a speeding ticket. The citation is seen by the magistrate or you can plead guilty and just pay a fine. A lot of schools are seeing this problem, and that is a way to increase the deterrent. The problem with deterrents though is that it does not prevent, it just deals with it after the fact. " What was previously an in-school punishment has been increased to dissuade JUUL users.
Is this form of discipline effective?
Is this form of discipline effective?
Thompson, however, is aware that punishments occur after the fact, and, often, after addiction has already set in. He said "catching and suspending I mean we do it, but the best thing would be if people knew it was bad for your health and therefore choose to never start or bring it into school." He knows that to truly dissuade young adults from becoming addicted, they must fully understand the negative health consequences.
Student Responses
Student Responses
- A few anonymous students responded to this interview with a critical question
- "Why should I be punished if I am over 18?"
- This is a valid question due to the legal age to smoke being eighteen. However, it is necessary to provide some sort of punishment on school property in an attempt to secure a deterrent to using these devices. Further, it has become the goal of the administration to begin to educate current and future users about the harmful effects so as to avoid the issue of punishment.
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