News and Events
Tobacco Free Partnership and SWAT Members Present to the Okeechobee County School Board about Tobacco Free Grounds Policy
February 10 , 2015
On February 10th 2015 Courtney Moyett, Okeechobee County Tobacco Prevention Specialist and Savannah Goggans, Okeechobee High School SWAT Club Vice President made a presentation to the School Board asking them to consider a 100% tobacco free grounds policy.
Mrs. Moyett asked the board to consider a change in the current policy of designated smoking areas, to a 100% tobacco free grounds policy that would include all district properties and all district vehicles. Moyett stated that Okeechobee County is one of 7 counties in Florida that do not have this policy in place.
Moyett also spoke about non-tobacco users having a right to breathe smoke-free air, the negative health effects that tobacco has on users and non-users, and that the School Board should provide an indoor and outdoor tobacco free environment that is consistent with the role-modeling responsibilities of teachers and staff for our students.
Ms. Goggans is the current Vice President of the Okeechobee High School SWAT club, in the 10th grade at Okeechobee High and has been involved with SWAT since the 6th grade. She stated that she hates coming into a classroom and having to smell the smell of cigarette smoke on her teachers for several hours at a time, she said it makes her nauseated and gives her a headache. She also stated that staff and teachers should set an example for the students that using tobacco products are harmful to your health.
The School Board will review the information, and is considering making a change in the current tobacco policy for the start of the 2015-2016 school year.
For more information on the work of the Tobacco Free Partnership and SWAT, call Courtney Moyett, Tobacco Prevention Specialist for Okeechobee County, by calling 863-801-8277. Courtney can also be reached at cmoyett@quitdoc.com and additional information is also available at www.tfp-okeechobee.org.
