The Westbrook School Department will be holding an open public forum to discuss the department’s policy on drug and alcohol use by students.

The forum, which will be held tonight, June 15, is open to all residents. It will feature a presentation by Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson on the problems caused by underage use of alcohol. Westbrook Police Chief Paul McCarthy will also speak about the problems of teen alcohol use from a law enforcement perspective. After the presentations, the meeting will be opened up for public comment.

Superintendent Stan Sawyer said the forum is in response to an incident in March where seven members of the boys basketball team and several cheerleaders were suspended for allegedly attending a party at which drinking occurred.

The school’s extra-curricular code of conduct, which is supposed to be signed by all students taking part in an extra-curricular activity and their parents, states that a student can be suspended for “knowingly being present” where underage drinking is taking place. This means students can be suspended for merely being at a party, even if they do not consume alcohol.

The suspensions came as Westbrook was preparing to play in class A playoffs at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland. In an effort to get the players reinstated in time to play the game, parents appealed to the School Committee asking for an alternative form of punishment. After a lengthy closed session meeting on March 3, the committee declined to take any action, and the suspensions were upheld. Using a roster supplemented by junior varsity players, Westbrook lost the game 56-38.

Sawyer said the policy was instituted in 2003 and had not faced a major test until this March. He said because of the concerns expressed by parents, the School Department decided to hold the public forum to hear input from parents about the policy. “When there is concern, we will revisit the policy,” Sawyer said.

After the forum, Sawyer said the School Committee’s Policy Committee will schedule a meeting to discuss the matter further. “We will hold a Policy Committee meeting and see if there are any changes that should be incorporated,” said Sawyer.

Sawyer said the Policy Committee has not yet scheduled a date for that meeting and would not do so until after tonight’s public meeting.

All interested residents, especially parents of teenagers in the Westbrook schools, are invited to attend the meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in Room 114 of Westbrook High School. The meeting will also be televised on cable channel 2. For more information on the meeting, call the superintendent’s office at 854-0800.

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