Montebello : Smoking Banned in School Buildings, Vehicles

The Montebello Unified School District board has banned smoking in all district buildings and vehicles. The board scrapped its policy of permitting smoking in designated areas after a staff report referred to “significant medical evidence” that breathing secondhand smoke poses “genuine physical danger.”

The ban includes all school- or district-sponsored activities and indoor sporting events. Employees who work at the district office will be allowed to smoke only outside their buildings, acting Supt. Darline Robles said. Those working on campuses who feel the urge for a cigarette will have to trek to the staff parking lot.

“I think it’s terrible when kids walk past teachers’ lunch rooms and see smoke,” said board member Frank Serrano. “(Now) we’re being consistent when we tell kids they can’t smoke.”

An Assembly bill signed last week by Gov. Pete Wilson requires all public school districts to adopt no-smoking policies by 1996 to be eligible to receive state tobacco-use prevention funds.