Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002
Source: Joplin Globe, The (MO)
Copyright: 2002 The Joplin Globe
Contact:  http://www.joplinglobe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/859
Author: Susan Redden
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

R-9 BOARD CONTINUES DRUG POLICY DISCUSSION

CARTHAGE, Mo. - The Carthage R-9 School Board came closer to some agreement 
Monday night on how high school and junior high students would be tested 
for illegal drugs.

But questions on when a drug-testing program would start and specifics on 
which students would be included remained unresolved. The discussions 
included the board's attorney and representatives of Employee Screening 
Services Inc., a company that supplies testing required for district bus 
drivers.

The board at the close of the meeting made no decision on when a program 
would start or which specific students would be included in testing, said 
Superintendent Gary Reed.

"We're going to work on another draft of the written policy," he said. 
"We're going to continue to discuss it and try to get the program ready to 
implement. And, we're not going to implement it until it's ready."

Some board members have said the program should start only at the beginning 
of the year so that students involved in all targeted activities would be 
equally affected.

But the fact that the special meeting did not bring a decision on the 
program's starting date "doesn't necessarily spell the end of a program for 
this particular year," Reed said.

The board for several months has discussed a proposal for drug testing of 
interscholastic student athletes, based on recommendations from a 
citizenship committee. Most board members seemed to endorse the plan, 
despite some reservations as to timing and how the district could deal with 
charges that the program singled out athletes.

That issue was the most frequent question raised at a public forum, and 
several board members and officials said the program would have more 
credibility if more students could be included.

Those questions were addressed in a U.S. Supreme Court decision last month. 
The court, in a 5-4 ruling, said testing can be expanded to include 
students in other extracurricular activities.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Ariel