In Nov. 1973, editor Dan Stegmann expressed in the Editor Views column his view of the, at the time, recent smoking policy established at Lafayette in the Marquis de Lafayette, the predecessor of The Image.

At the time, the policy read that “students are not permited to smoke in the school or on school grounds during the school day or at school parties.” However, the stipulation did not extend to teachers, who could still smoke in a teacher’s lounge.

Stegmann lashed out at the hypocricy seen in the school’s smoking policy, writing “Teachers can smoke; how come we can’t?”

In concession, Stegmann agreed the school couldn’t out right tell students that “smoking is fine, go ahead and smoke,” but expressed his belief that the policy didn’t have to be enforced “quite as strictly”. At the time, the penalties for being caught smoking on school property was a three day suspension on the first offense, 10 day suspension on the second offense, and a full semester of suspension upon the third offense.

Today, Rockwood’s smoking policy has been completely revamped to make Rockwood a tobacco free district. Any tobacco product is banned on any rockwood campus at all hours, regardless if the person is a teacher or student. As well, the penalties for smoking have been changed as well, and can be read under Rockwood regulation 1410, found here: http://www.rsdmo.org/boardofeducation/policiesandregulations/Pages/Regulation1410-Tobacco-FreeDistrict.aspx