Pubdate: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 Source: Island Packet (SC) p-1562046c.html Copyright: 2002,sThe Island Packet Contact: http://www.islandpacket.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1514 Source: Island Packet (SC) Author: Michael Erb DISTRICT: DRUG TESTS NOT LIKELY The Beaufort County School District has no plans to begin requiring drug tests for students participating in after-school activities, even though a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling indicates they could. Any drug testing policy would have to be decided at the district level, said John Williams, spokesman for the district, and Beaufort County schools are unlikely to start any such checks. The issue has reached national prominence since the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on June 27 in favor of an Oklahoma school district whose policy required drug tests for all students who take part in after-school activities. The district's policy states all students who participate in competitive extracurricular activities from chess club to football be subject to random "suspicionless" drug testing. Hilton Head High School Principal Helen Ryan said she plans to explore the drug-testing issue and take any concerns to the school district for a decision. "We have been following (the Supreme Court case) right now," she said. "I think (drug testing) will be a topic that I will bring up with my School Improvement Council and assign a committee to look at the topic." Ryan said the committee, likely to be formed this year, would look at the policies of other schools and districts in South Carolina. The committee also would informally poll parents, students and community members to see if there is a need for the testing. "Right now I don't think there is a need for it," she said. POLICIES PAST Hilton Head High has struggled in the past with developing an effective policy for addressing drugs and alcohol. In 1998, before Ryan was principal, the school's drug and alcohol policy came under scrutiny because it made no distinction between students using alcohol or drugs and students in the presence of those using alcohol or drugs. The policy was later thrown out because of legal concerns, and Hilton Head High now follows district policy only. "That policy was an attempt to get all students to do the right thing at all times," Williams said. "It was a good idea, but wasn't such a good approach." At about the same time, the school district revised its drug and alcohol policy to make it more clear. The school district's policy states any student caught in possession of or under the influence of drugs or alcohol on school grounds or at a school-related event may be removed immediately from the school premises, suspended and recommended for expulsion. It also states school or district officials will inform parents of any offenses, and law enforcement officials may be contacted under certain circumstances, such as for violent or unsafe behavior. Williams said the district evaluates the policy annually. District policy does not allow for any random drug checks, not even for athletic teams such as football, he said. Drug testing of student athletes was made legal by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1995. "We have so many things that we could be spending our time and resources on," he said. "And despite the court's ruling, it does open the staff and schools up to criticism." Williams said parents could easily question why their children were picked for random drug testing. "There is also a lot of cost in these drug tests and in verifying their results," he said. "What if one of them is wrong?" "Suspicionless Drug Testing in Schools," a study released by Indiana University in 1998, found many easy-to-administer, low-cost tests may produce incorrect readings, and higher-cost laboratory tests are needed to verify the results of previous tests. WEIGHING IN Parents' reactions on drug testing appear to mixed. "I think the district has other issues that should take priority," said Karen Cerrati, a parent of a senior at Hilton Head High. "The people are stretched so thin (at the high school), I would hate to see any attention or resources diverted into drug testing just because someone says they can," Cerrati said. But Joe Little, assistant coach for the Hilton Head Middle School chess team, said he supports drug tests. "I think the Supreme Court is dead on target," Little said. "We need to do anything and everything to keep these kids healthy and on course." Little said that he would expect his son, Lance, who is on the middle school's chess team, to submit to a drug test if it were required to participate. "I think it's a good idea to have the ways and means of letting students know that if they participate in illegal drug use they can forfeit their chances of doing what they love," he said. "Let's give the schools the tools to fight drugs." - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)