Survey sent to junior high students prompts apology from principal

The principal of Central Junior High School has apologized for a survey that recently went out to students in grades six through 12, covering everything from sexual orientation to the highest level of schooling their parents attained.

The survey was sent out by EPIC, which stands for Early Prevention Impacts Communities. The organization's mission is to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs while promoting healthy attitudes and behaviors among Southeast Missouri youths, according to epicprevention.org.

In a letter to parents from junior high principal Carla Fee, she apologizes for not vetting the entire survey.

"While most of the questions were about typical teenage issues -- grades, school activities -- there were a few questions that we felt were not appropriate for 7th/8th graders. Many teachers told students they did not have to complete the survey," Fee wrote.

Fee said she emailed EPIC with the school's concerns and asked them to delete all information generated from students. EPIC agreed with the request. Fee said she also notified superintendent Jim Welker that day, and he told board members about the issue.

"Upon his request, we asked that the survey site be disabled," she wrote.

Parent Tara Lang said she felt the questions were inappropriate and has made some calls and talked to board members. Although parents were emailed, some don't have email accounts, Lang said.

An email from Mercedes Fort, EPIC project director, and Shelly Wood, EPIC project coordinator, said the Attitudes and Behaviors survey was established by Search Institute, and EPIC does not conduct the survey.

"We have historically asked some of the schools to administer the survey so that 1) they will have data that gives them an idea of what their students report as their strengths and supports in the community, as well as their risk behaviors; and 2) EPIC will be able to report on our core measures to our grantor, Drug Free Communities, and also EPIC will be able to develop appropriate drug abuse prevention strategies for our community. Several schools, including Cape Junior High, have taken the survey before," the email said.

EPIC asks the schools whether they will give the survey, and it is up to them to agree to do so or not, according to the email. Schools are provided with an overview of the survey.

The schools have historically found the survey helpful in identifying their students' strengths and supports in the community. For EPIC it helps measure youth risk and protective factors that might affect substance abuse.

District policy states in accordance with law, no student in any program wholly or partially funded by the U.S. Department of Education is required to submit to a survey, analysis or evaluation that reveals any of the following without a parent's written consent:

* Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student's parent(s).

* Mental or psychological problems of the student or the student's family.

* Sex behavior or attitudes.

* Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior.

* Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships.

* Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians and ministers.

* Religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student's parent.

* Income other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance.

Parents are supposed to receive prior notice of surveys so they can opt out their students if they choose, the policy states.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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