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Smoking to be banned at Loudoun County schools
Starting on Jan. 1, smoking will no longer be allowed on property owned by Loudoun County Public Schools.
Members of the School Board voted June 24 to change the existing regulation, which allows school employees to smoke in designated areas away from the view of students and the public. This new ban will apply to schools and administration buildings.
"It's setting an example for our youth, and it is an employee safety issue," said board Chairman Robert DuPree Jr. (Dulles). "I've seen airlines evolve, shopping centers, movie theaters and the list goes on and on. I think this is setting a better example for our students."
The ban will bring Loudoun up to date with several area counties that have already banned smoking on school property. Neighboring Fairfax County passed a ban in 1994 and school facilities in Montgomery County, Maryland have been smoke free since 1993.
The School Board vote June 24 was 5–2, with member Jennifer Bergel (Catoctin) abstaining from the vote.
J. Warren Guerin (Sterling) voted against the ban saying the policy would be difficult to enforce and school employees have the right to smoke if they so choose.
"As well-intentioned as this might be, there are employees who enjoy the right and freedom to smoke," he said.
Joseph Guzman (Sugarland Run) also voted against the proposal.
Supporters of the measure said the school system will step up efforts to provide smoking cessation classes between now and Jan. 1.
"I have watched individuals go through enormous agony between morphine and oxygen when their lungs fail to function," said board member Bob Ohneiser (Broad Run). "[Smoking] really does kill and we need to send a message. Maybe some teachers that come here as young 22-year-olds may never start smoking and that's a good thing."
Contact the reporter at ecoe@timespapers.com.
What gives them the right to tell an adult they can't smoke? If that is their choice, so be it. The ones that voted for this ban I can take are not smokers, nor do they work in a class room full kids who in this day and age have very little respect for anyone but themselves and they are going to take the one thing that some of these teachers use and a stress reliever away from them? The students do not see them first of all and a lot of these teachers/staff live in the same area and are seen by the students out in public, the next thing you know they won't hire you if you smoke, OMG get over it, regardless there is going to be smoking still and the students are not going to start smoking because they see one of their teachers smoking. This area is so anal and stuck up, it's just unbelievable.
Posted by 1greatmom
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