Pubdate: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 Source: Decatur Daily (AL) Copyright: 2002 The Decatur Daily Contact: http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/696 Author: Deangelo McDaniel, Daily Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) HARTSELLE OKS INCLUSIVE POLICY FOR DRUG-TESTING HARTSELLE -- The Hartselle Board of Education agreed that it would adopt the most inclusive student drug-testing policy in the area. The policy will test every student participating in an extracurricular activity. The school system will implement it this academic year. Policies in Lawrence and Limestone counties, and a policy the Decatur system will vote on today at 4 p.m., test only students in competitive extracurricular activities. Hartselle will test every student at least once. After the initial test, students are subject to random testing. "We wanted to make sure that no student was able to get by without at least one test," board member Ron Abercrombie said at Monday night's meeting. The school system will use money from the Trico Steel tax settlement to fund the project. Superintendent Lee Hartsell said the budget includes $23,000 for drug testing. The school board agreed to ask the City Council for additional money to help fund the program. A second reading of the drug policy will be Thursday night at 6 in the central office on College Street. Hartsell said he wants another meeting after Thursday night to inform parents and students what is included in the policy. Susan Hayes, assistant principal at the high school, was chairwoman of the committee that drafted the proposed policy. She told the board that the committee recommended testing for tobacco because tobacco affects more children when they reach adulthood. "The punishment for a positive tobacco test is treated the same way as a positive test for marijuana," Hayes said. Board member Joe Berry offered the only negative comments about the drug-testing policy. He questioned the use of baseline testing. "What will it accomplish?" he asked. Berry said the U.S. Army tested him when he was in the military. He said the board would not solve Hartselle's drug problem with drug testing. "We need to take a closer look at why we are testing," he said. "We're testing to deter drug use," Abercrombie responded. Board member Jeff Gray said he hopes that the board never sees a positive drug test. "Does this mean that it is a waste of money?" he said. "No." Berry's views of the policy softened after the discussion. He said the board needs to adopt a policy it can implement and make sure the school system is prepared to deal with a positive test. Hartsell assured him that the counseling would be available. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom