Hannah Sarnoff
Since vaping was classified as an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in February 2020 schools nationwide have wrestled with how to counter rampant vaping in schools. For its part, CHS has attempted to implement several measures to counter this harmful trend on campus, hoping to restore the overall health and safety of children while promoting a productive learning environment.
“I know that most vaping happens in bathrooms, so we either have security, campus supervisors, or administration go into the bathrooms,” said Assistant Principal of Safety, Tyler Lee. “When it got really bad, we had limited use to one bathroom, but we’ve been able to open up the lower quad restroom because it decreased.”
According to Lee, by restricting bathroom usage to one area, the administration has a better grip on their students and can properly access and handle these forms of misconduct. Although there has been an increase in security, these measures alone have not lessened vaping on campus. To that end, administration has focused on more proactive methods of dealing with the problem..
“I know last year we had people go into freshman seminar to talk about education regarding vaping, and there has been a realization regarding the harm that comes from it,” said Lee.
Lee indicated that Calabasas High School effectively handles this hefty problem by allowing students to learn from their mistakes, following required counseling sessions at LVUSD counseling, beside their parents. The administration wants to help students tackle their battles, as counseling allows students to find light and guidance out of their dark tunnels.
“There is a consequence when you get caught, but also an education that comes from it,” said Lee. “Students must go to counseling sessions after getting caught, learn about the dangers, and work through how to stop these dangerous habits.”