By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor
KEYSER — The Mineral County Board of Education is putting everyone on notice — stop smoking on school property or face possible legal action.
Superintendent of Schools Skip Hackworth said it has come to his attention lately that some persons either attending or participating in events on school property have been using tobacco.
In a Letter to the Editor, which appeared in Thursday's News-Tribune, Jim Abernathy of Keyser urged everyone to “remember we are on school property and we parents should be responsible ... by insisting on common respect, as well as not smoking there.”
Abernathy went on to add that he had noticed “quite a few people smoking during practices, as well.”
“It's against school policy and it's against the law,” Hackworth told the News-Tribune Thursday.
“And it certainly doesn't set a good example for our youth.”
The no-smoking police applies to all school property, and to any event held on school property, including youth league games. It also applies to spit tobacco in addition to smoking.
“Hopefully, we won't have to ask the police to enforce the code. But if we have to, we will,” Hackworth said.
Keyser, W.Va. —
