Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 77, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 11, 1990 Page: 1 of 16
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BEST AVAILABLE COPY
Officer of the year
Duckett named county*s best by
BY SALLY ELLERTSON x
A four-and-a-half year veteran
of the Burleson Police Department
was selected by the VFW Post 9^99*
and the Ladies Auxiliary as the
Johnson County Officer of the Year
recently. - •
Officer Tori Duckett was hon-
ored at an April 1 dinner in Alvarado.
He was nominated by the VFW,
submitted an autobiography of his
accomplishments, and was selected.
"The accomplishments in his
professions warranted it," Pat Kin-
■986, and 1987. A chiefs achieve-
ment award is given for an act that
shows highly commendable conduct
or judgment while performing the
duties of a police officer. He fol-
lowed that up by receiving a merito-
rious service award in 1988, a safe
driving award in 1989, and will re-
ceive his five year service pin in
1990.
A meritorious service award is
for a highly creditable accomplish-
ment that brings public acclaim to the
officer, the department, or the police
VFW honors Duckett
Officer Tori Duckett, a four-and-a-half year veteran of the Burleson
Police Department, was selected recently as Officer of the Year for
Johnson County by the VFW Post 9299 and the Ladies Auxiliary.
• ’ ---T--- -------- -------,---- — — r
son, safety chairman and chairman of profession or for an act that resulted
the law enforcement officer and fire- in or contributed to an idea, concept,
man of the year committee.
The 27-ycar-old joined Burle-
son in September of 1985 and i|H
an instant impression, receivings
chiefs achievement award in 1985,
or other contribution that not only
enhances but has a long-lasting or
far-reaching impact on department
operations.
Duckett was president of the
Burleson Police Officer's Associa-
tion in 1988 when the BPOA banded
together fora police referendum. The
citizens of Burleson passed the refer-
endum, raising salaries for the offi-
cers and civilian personnel. He con-
tinued as president in 1989.
"1 chose to be a police officer
probably for the same reason as most,
because it was something that I have
always wanted to do," Duckett said
Duckett began his law enforce-
ment career in 1982 as a reserve. He
quit his job at an Alvarado business,
put himself through the police acad-
emy, and joined the Johnson County
Sheriffs Office under then sheriff
Stuart Huffman. He left the JCSO in
1985 and went to Crowley where he
spent a few months before moving on
to Burleson, under then chief Keith
Kippy.The 1981 Alvarado High
School graduate became a field train-
ing officer in 1988, giving him the re-
sponsibility of training new officers
to the force. He also has the rank of
police officer two.
Duckett began serving the com-
munity in another way when he was
a senior in high school. He was a
volunteer fireman for six years for
Alvarado.
"I continue to do this work be-
cause 1 have a lot of pride as a police
officer and very proudly serve the
citizens of this community," Duckett
said.
Duckett's profile has been re-
submitted to the department of Texas
for state officer of the year. The re-
sults should be known in May or
June.
Wednesday
April 11
Volume 25
No. 77
16 Pages in 2 Sections
Burleson, Texas « For The Good Life
Schools go on despite state (in)action
That could change, but don't rhake early vacation plans
I.
Closing the schools a month
early.
You'd Biink it would be every
student's dream—not to mention ev-
ery parent's nightmare.
Actually, it would negatively
impact students, teachers, parents,
and other school employees as
1 for that reason, it (excuse
the grammar) ain't going to happen
here if the school board and admini-
stration has anything to do about it.
The idea of schools closing on
May 1 has received widespread pub-
licity in recent days since Governor
Bill Clements, the House, and the
Senate can't seem to agree on a new
school finance bill—one that will be
acceptable to the courts.
The method of school financing
has been ruled unconstitutional and
the court-set deadline for the state to
remedy the problem is May 1.
In all likelihood, the state will
not send any more money to local
districts after May 1 if a new school
finance play isn't in operation.
That is, pending the outcome of
a bill co-spoonsored by Representa-
tives Bruce Gibson (D-Godley) and
Harvey Hildcrbran (R-Uvalde).
Under provisions of that bill, the
remaining state payments for the
remainder qf thcopent!
„r elve Funding for May
through August on April 28.
Even if that bill passes, suffi-
cient money may not be available to
pay more than the first installment on
that date, however, the legislators
point out.
Gibson terms the bill a "failsafe
mechanism which will allow public
schools to finish the current year and
enable the legislature and governor
to continue their efforts toward reso-
lution of the impasse on school fi-
nance."
He added that "It may not be
possible for state government to cor-
rect 60 years of educational inequity
in 60 days.”
Regardless of the outcome of
that bill, or of an education bill, the
BISD has no plans to add another
month to summer vacation so don't
make May reservations in Aspen yet„
"I don't think it will happen (stale
financing cease May 1), I
tendent of Schools Gordon
ham.
He said that such an action
would create havoc across the state
and that Burleson didn't want to be a
part of that scene.
He said the BISD's first priority
was to finish the school year to insure
that students graduate asnd receive
the proper credits for their work.
Second priority, he said, was to
assure all parties that the BISD would
honor all its obligations, such as bills,
contracts, payroll.
With no additional state money,
the school district would continue to
operate throughout May and proba-
bly June, he said.
The total fund balance (all ac-
counts) is just under $2.3 million and
the district has a borrowing limit of
another $750,000.
Payroll is just ovcr$l million per
month, he said.
The possibility exists that Burle-
son won't control its own destiny in
Cjpis regard if ^school finance bill is
not passed by the deadline. He said
thJttEdgwood (the school district that
initiated the suit against the state) is
ready to file an injunction to close all
schools on May 1 if the legislature
does not meet the deadline.
"It may take away some political
leverage to keep the schools open,"
said Cockerham, "but we have to
fulfill our obligation to our students
and to everyone else."
Board President Byron Black
agreed. "I think we ought to do what
w(S can to keep the school district
running," he said. "It would make a
big impact on the legislature to shut
down the schools, but we're here for
Please see RESULTS, pg. 12
Representatives Gibson and Hilderbran
.Their plan would insure school financing if deadline not met
■
Student-proposed voluntary
drug testing program given
OK Monday by school board
Student Leaders
Want Drug Tests
Students from the high school and junior high school proposed to the
school board that a voluntary drug testing program be instituted in the
secondary schools. The students are (1-r) Front: Toni Smith, Meg Faires,
Nikki Rotenberry, and Summer Craig. Back: Mike Sipowicz, Danny
Shaha, and Scott Leblond.
Star wins four journalism awards
When newspaper articles are
wriuen, ads arc designed, typeset,
and placed down, photographs are
taken, an editor takes the libery to
write an editorial, or writer pens a
column, it's not done for recognition,
but instead as a community service to
the community. But, as in any profes-
sion, it's nice when somebody, espe-
cially peers, recognizes that work.
The Burleson Star won four
awards at the 64 th annual meeting of
the North East Texas Press Associa-
tion awards luncheon in Granbury
April 7.
Tire newspaper took fourth
place for its community service entry
of the Burleson DARE program.
Former sports editor Ray Price also
received a fourth place certificate for
his "Serious Business" column.
News Editor Sally Ellertson and
former managing editor Dottie Price
both won second place certificates
for their feature stories. Price's win-
ner was "Instruction in mobility;
Near miss doesn't slow do'-n train-
ing sessions" revolving ai uidAna
Dennis, who is blind sin 2 birth.
Eliertson's was "Hospice—Saying
goodbye, coping financially, and
teaming how todcal with the losses is
Please see STAR, pg. 2
Obviously no one who takes, or
plans to take, illegal drugs is going to
sign up for a voluntary drug testing
program. Right?
Right.
So the chances of a drug test
coming back positive are next to nil
under those circumstances. Right?
Right.
So then it stands to reason that
the voluntary drug testing program
recommended by a group of students
for the Burleson secondary schools
is all but worthless. Right?
Wrong!
It's going to be anything but
worthless, believes the BISD Board
of Trustees, who approved the pro-
gram Monday night, and Burleson
Police Officer Randy Hicks, who
praised the program for the positive
benefits it could bring.
"When we started the DARE
program, we felt it could take several
years before we would begin to see
any results," Hicks said. "I think
we re beginning to see some results,"
he said, pointing to the high school
and junior high school students who
had just made the presentation to the
school board.
Unlike most drug testing proce-
dures, the aim of this program is not
to identify drug users. Instead, it's
focused on recognizing the non-user.
So how can this possibly be
more than the equivalent of weekend
maneuvers in the war on drugs?
That's a very good question, but
one that was answered quite well by
high school students Mike Sipowicz,
Danny Shaha, Scott Leblond, Toni
Smith, and Meg Faires and junior
high students Nikki Rotenberry and
Summer Craig during the presenta-
tion to the board.
Called the Clean and Free Pro-
gram, and backed by Charter Hospi-
tal of Fort Worth and Pepsi Cola, the
emphasis of the drug testing is to
counteract negative peer pressure
with positive peer pressure.
And it doesn't even end there.
All students who test free of drugs
will be given tee-shirts proclaiming
that faitt. In addition, they'll be card
carrying "clean and free' students
and, as such, will be offered a variety
of discounts at participating busi-
nesses in Burleson and throughout
the area.
The program also gives the stu-
dent another tool in his arsenal of
weapons to resist the temptation of
drugs: the student not only says no to
drugs, but is backed up by the best of
reasons—the very real possibility of
undergoing a drug test.
At an age when peer pressure can
often be intense, it simply gives the
student something to fall back on
when otherwise he might be tempted .-
to buckle to that pressure, the stu-
dents pointed out to the board.
"Look I can't do that,” a student
can say tosomeonepressuringhimto
take drugs, "because for all I know 1
could be tested for drugs tomorrow."
And the students don't know
when they might be called upon to
undergo drug testing. It will be done
striedy on a random basis.
Nor will Charter Hospital, which s
will do the drug testing at no charge,
know the identity of the students
being tested. All samples for urinaly-
sis will be identified only by number.
Any positive test will at first be
regarded as laboratory error and will
be sent off—again at Charter's ex-
pense—fora second laboratory opin-
ion.
Parental approval is required for
a student to volunteer for the random
drug testing.
Several area school districts,
including Crowley, have already im-
plemented the program and regard it
as a success.
"I think it's an excellent program
and that the school board should be
the first ones to volunteer to be
tested," said Board President Byron
Black in asking for a motion to ap-
prove the program.
The board gave its unanimous
approval to the Clean and Free Drug
Testing Program.
The program, which will be
coordinated by students in the Clean
and Free Club, should be ready for
implementation b> the beginning of
the next school year.
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Moody, James. Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 77, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 11, 1990, newspaper, April 11, 1990; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth762030/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Burleson Public Library.