When the email explaining new smoking regulations of our school was sent, it struck the students by shock. They were confused and complained about them. One question that arises among all is why the school decided to introduce such a policy now, after so many years?
Smoking has always been a problem in all schools, as it affects both the students and the staff. In the case of our school, GZAAT has taken many different measures throughout the years, to finally get rid of this problem. While the new smoking regulations have become stricter this school year, they have always existed. Students caught smoking/vaping in bathrooms or on other school grounds, which includes the parking lot in front of the building, will be suspended.
The students have various opinions regarding the policy. Some feel as though the rules have changed compared to the previous years, or that they won’t have a positive result: “I don’t agree that this new smoking campaign will be useful for the people who smoke, it won’t change anything” - Anonymous, smoker. “This new regulation is very good because when I go into toilets there will be no flavored smells and it won't be full of people. But I think this new rule won't stop students from not smoking. - Anonymous, non-smoker.
By reinforcing the regulations this year, the school avoids promoting bad behaviors, especially among younger students. The interview with Mr. Cruz has cleared up some of the confusion regarding the rules. When asked about the measures being taken and why after so many years, the principal of our school replied:” Smoking is a major issue in our country, particularly among underage students who are increasingly engaging in activities like smoking and drinking alcohol. I do not want such behaviors to be promoted in our school. To address this, we have taken several measures to stop these activities, including reinforcing security with our guards, conducting frequent checks of the bathrooms, and spreading awareness about the dangers of smoking. If a student is caught vaping in the bathroom, they will be permanently suspended. However, these regulations are not new or different from previous years. Smoking has never been allowed at our school. Last year, we enforced similar measures by placing guards outside. The reason some may perceive this as new is because we sent a personal email to everyone this year, which might have drawn more attention”.
In addition, the main question every young smoker has at the school is whether or not the administration has the authority to restrict smoking in the parking lot, as they believe it is a non-school property. “Since the parking lot is directly in front of the school, yes, we can enforce this rule there. We consulted with the owners of Lisi Lake, which technically own the property, and although we don’t own it, it is understood to be part of our school's grounds, as our buses park there. Many parents have raised concerns about seeing students smoking in that area. Especially parents from junior high, who see older students smoking in the parking lot. This regulation applies to both students and staff. If anyone wishes to smoke, they can move further away from the school premises”.
A huge topic many students have been talking about since the new rules have been invoked is how upset parents have been going around the parking lot, taking pictures of students smoking, and sharing them with other parents in group chats. Mr. Cruz debunked this theory. “These rumors are not true. I have not received any photos or videos from parents. In general, I believe it is not ethical for anyone—whether parents or teachers—to take photos or videos of students without their consent. It is always necessary to ask for someone's permission before sharing their image publicly”.
After such rumors have started to go around, the parents have also been interviewed and asked their opinions regarding the rules. School’s parents council has raised the problem of smoking on school premises other times, too, helping to raise awareness by creating an anti-smoking campaign, which has been unsuccessful. This is what Khatia Jambazishvili and Tiko Gotsadze had to say about the new smoking regulations. “We all agree that smoking is a bad habit and over the past three years, the parent council has been consistently receiving concerns from parents about the increasing usage of tobacco among students. Parents council thinks that these new regulations will help students who are not smoking yet, but it won’t be effective for ones who are already smoking . But we still believe that implementing a new, more stringent and structured approach is essential to protect students' health and well-being. We Believe a one-day suspension from school can be an effective measure. Parents will be informed about their child’s bad behavior which then affects their academic performance.We should also consider that in some cases, a one-day suspension might have the opposite effect, with the student perceiving it as a "day off". Therefore, it's important that the use of this measure be part of a broader strategy aimed at long-term positive behavioral change in the student”.
The recent changes, though unpopular among most students, are supported by the laws in Georgia. Schools can and must have restrictive rules for everyone on school grounds, if there is destructive behavior present, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, promotion of drugs, etc.
Other private schools also have such non-smoking regulations. Vaping in the bathrooms is strictly forbidden, as well as smoking on the school premises. Most students state that they have to go a certain distance away from school, in order to be able to light up a cigarette. Even though the new policy has left most of the students complaining and unhappy, there is nothing they can do, other than move away from the school grounds if they wish to smoke.
Edited By: Elene Mansvetashvili
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