HANCOCK COUNTY, W.Va. (WTRF) - Hancock County Schools Superintendent Dan Enich developed a new policy regarding hemp with the help of legal counsel, and its open for public comment now until Nov. 25.
This comes after a notable increase in possession of hemp-based products among students in the middle and high schools throughout the county.
Enich says this new policy specifically targets the possession of all hemp-based products, including CBD, THC, marijuana and other controlled substances not classified as narcotics.
The goal is to bring the violation of possession of hemp-based products to a level three offense, which can result in out-of-school suspension or even expulsion.
"A benign level one, like a pack of cigarettes or something like that is usually a two or three day outside school suspension or inside school suspension. This new policy would put hemp-based products under the umbrella of a level three offense which could cause it to be an expulsion situation."
Dan Enich | Superintendent, Hancock County Schools
Enich says this new policy will better protect students, staff and teachers from the "very clear dangers" hemp-based products cause within the school district.
He says he felt it was time to address the issue directly, rather than the generalized approaches within the West Virginia Student Code of Conduct and the Hancock County Student Code of Conduct.
"It's not an adaptation of an old policy. This is a new policy that actually targets this [possession of hemp-based products] and puts it under the umbrella of a level three offense to the school system. In all the meetings I've had downstate with all the superintendents, I think it's pretty much a statewide issue. All the other 54 counties have had this problem. It's a situation where we've had enough of this and we're looking for a remedy. And legally we have to do it the right way.”
Dan Enich | Superintendent, Hancock County Schools
The policy will be up for a vote by the Board of Education after the public comment period, which ends on Nov. 25.
Hancock County residents are encouraged to share their thoughts on the policy, and can do so by emailing Enich at denich@k12.wv.us or calling his office at 304-564-3411.
Comments can also be mailed to the Office of the Superintendent at P.O. Box 1300, New Cumberland, WV 26047.