OXNARD : School Staff Workers Back Smoking Ban

Staff members at Oxnard’s elementary and junior high schools have voted in favor of a ban on the use of tobacco products on the district’s 14 campuses.

The vote was conducted by the school district to guide the board of trustees, which will consider the ban this week. If the measure passes, the campuses--including parking areas, school grounds and lunchrooms--will be off-limits to smokers as of Jan. 1.

School districts in California have until 1996 to adopt a smoke-free policy, according to a report by Assistant Supt. Bernard Korenstein.

“It has been suggested that a smoke-free policy be implemented . . . to appropriately model and reinforce the negative aspects of tobacco use for our students,” Korenstein wrote.

In the district’s poll earlier this month, 595 employees voted in favor of an immediate ban, and 244 voted to wait until 1996 to adopt a new policy. The board is scheduled to vote on the proposed ban at its Tuesday meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m.