House Bill 114 was recently passed, stating that if a student is caught possessing a vape, they will be placed in a DAEP (Disciplinary Alternative Education Program) and required to complete a vaping abuse education program. While the education program is a good idea, Taking kids out of school is not the solution.

Having students who are caught vaping complete a program designed to help them with addiction is a good idea and a step in the right direction. Many teens who use e-cigarettes were raised in homes where tobacco use was somewhat normalized. It’s no surprise that some pick up on this habit at an early age. The National Health Executive says young people are 4 times more likely to become nicotine dependent if their parents were smokers too. Nobody wants to be dependent on nicotine and giving young people a resource like these education programs is a great way to help.

While educating the youth is always smart, sending them to alternative schools can be extremely detrimental. Research has shown that students being placed in DAEPs contribute to higher numbers of high school dropouts. This is because when students are placed in DAEP they miss several days of instruction causing them to fall farther and farther behind. The IDRA says that 31% of students who get suspended or sent to DAEP get held back, as opposed to 5% of students who do not get disciplinary action.

People who support this new bill say it will keep students safer in schools, but this isn’t true. When DAEPs start filling up with students who were caught vaping, there won’t be any space for students who committed violent offenses and put other kids in physical danger. Most parents would feel safer if their freshman was sitting next to a vaper than a student known for fighting and bullying.

Another way schools could help is by setting up a voluntary safety plan students can use before they are disciplined. For example, schools could make a quitting club that provides students with resources and tools they can use on their journey to quitting. Taking students out of school is like putting a bandaid on this larger issue, but putting more focus on educating them is a step in the right direction.