Pubdate: Thu, 27 Jul 2000
Source: New Times (CA)
Contact:  http://newtimes-slo.com/

TEMPLETON MAY CHANGE DRUG-TESTING POLICY

Officials at Templeton Unified School District are considering a change in 
the policy for drug-testing student athletes that would conceal the actual 
dates of the tests.

The board is scheduled to consider a proposal today (July 27) that would 
change the test date from the day before the first day of practice to 
sometime during the week before the first practice. The change would make 
it more difficult for students to falsify the test.

Currently, Templeton student athletes are tested before the first practice 
but are not randomly tested throughout the season. If a test comes up 
positive for drug use, the student must stop practicing and playing until a 
second verification test is taken. If the second test is positive, the 
athlete can continue practicing but would be subject to biweekly retesting 
and would be forced to sit out half the remaining games of the season or 
more, until the tests come back negative.

Templeton is the second SLO County district to institute drug tests for 
student athletes. Shandon was the first in 1998. Paso Robles Unified School 
District is the only other in the county that has considered instituting 
the test.
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