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FENTON: School's smoking survey snubbed by community leaders
St. Louis Metro & Surrounding MO & IL counties
6/1/2009
An anti-smoking survey carried out by Rockwood Summit High School students did not convince Fenton leaders to snub out smoking in bars and restaurants.
Seven students in Suzanne Rainey's Language, Communication and Composition 2 class carried out a survey that showed that more than 80 percent of parents of high school students in Fenton believe smoking should be banned in restaurants and public places.
The survey also found that more than 80 percent thought smoking should be banned in restaurants and public places and that secondhand smoke can affect their health. Also, more than 80 percent of the students preferred not to go to a restaurant that allows smoking and believe that secondhand smoke can harm them, Rainey said.
The survey also found that 11 percent of the students smoked.
Fenton Mayor Dennis Hancock said the board was respectful, but saw no need to institute a smoking ban in bars and restaurants as a result of their survey.
Although the aldermen commended the students for their hard work, "my students learned something about politics that night," Rainey said.
"They (the board) were almost argumentative," Rainey said. "The only thing they talked about were the 11 percent of Rockwood students who smoked, and they asked the kids 'what have you done to make them stop smoking?'"
Rainey said the students worked on several projects throughout the school year to convince students smokers to quit.
"It was just appalling that the 11 percent of student smokers was the only thing they (board of aldermen) chose to focus on," Rainey said. "The kids were upset and they think that 'hey, we're 18 years old, you know, we did this so you should listen to us.'"
Hancock said the reaction to the survey was respectful.
"From what I observed, the board listened to what they had to say and asked some questions regarding the results," Hancock said. "I think the board expressed some legitimate concerns of the survey results that showed 11 percent of the students smoked. That is something to be concerned about."
There is no outpouring of support on the board for a smoking ban and no moves afoot to bring a ban proposal before the board, Hancock said. A previous attempt several years ago fizzled.
And even though the City of Clayton is moving toward a public smoking ban, such is not the case in Fenton.
"Probably 98 percent of the businesses in the city right now are smoke-free," Hancock said. "There are a few bars and restaurants that still allow smoking but most businesses are smoke-free and they've made that decision on their own,"
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