4.      Drugs – It is possible that the student is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  I will be discussing drugs in more detail in another section of newteacherhelp.com, but I want to touch on some possibilities briefly.  The student could be “huffing” glue, body spray, permanent markers, or correction fluid (some people call it white-out).  Another possibility is that the student is “dusting”…that is, inhaling the propellant from a can of spray used to dust computer keyboards.  All of these behaviors deprive the student’s brain of oxygen, and kills brain cells.  Prolonged use of these substances can result in permanent brain damage, or even death.  What you can do:  Monitor the student closely, and record changes in the student’s behavior to report to the administration.  If your administrator has “reasonable suspicion” that a student is in possession of a controlled substance, he/she can conduct a search of the student and his/her personal belongings (including their locker).  Students rarely huff alone, so see if any of your students have heard anything (students love to tell you stuff about what OTHER people are doing, not themselves!)  Go online and study the symptoms of someone who is huffing.  If you notice any of the symptoms, send the student to be evaluated by the nurse.  Just tell the student, “You don’t look well…can I send you to the nurse to get looked at?”  If the student refuses an invitation by you to miss class, what more of a sign do you need?