Pubdate: Wed, 21 Aug 2002
Source: Log Cabin Democrat (AR)
Copyright: 2002 The Log Cabin Democrat
Contact:  http://thecabin.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/548
Author: Tammy Keith

BOARD SPLITS 3-3 ON STUDENT DRUG TESTING

Conway School Directors To Reconsider Issue Next Week When Seventh Member 
Is Present

There were several surprised people in the room, including Conway school 
board members, when there was a tie vote Tuesday night on the controversial 
drug-testing proposal.

The board voted 3 to 3, with one member absent, on a proposed random 
drug-testing policy for students in extracurricular activities.

Voting against the proposed policy were board members Carolyn Lewis and 
Lena Hancock and Dr. Terry Fiddler, board president. Tyrone Scott, Floyd 
Balentine and Fred Wiedower voted for the proposal. Board Member Gary 
Greene was out of state on business.

Anne Lasowski, a parent who has been adamantly against the policy, said she 
was "real happy it didn't get passed," adding she was "surprised by Dr. 
Fiddler."

Fiddler said, "I was surprised myself how people voted. No one should 
assume anyone's vote."

Superintendent James Simmons, who supports drug testing, said he was 
"surprised but (I) understand the situation they're in. They feel like 
there are still some unanswered questions."

The board will meet again next week to vote on the issue when Greene is 
back in town. Fiddler thinks he knows how Greene will vote, but he didn't 
want to say anything more.

Larry Edwards, who has a son and a daughter in the district, was 
disappointed the board didn't make a decision.

"I would have preferred to see, instead of them voting tonight, waiting 
until everyone was there. The ball has been shifted into one person's 
court, and I don't think that's fair."

"It was hard," Carolyn Lewis said following the meeting.

"At this point, the empirical evidence does not prove that it works. I'm 
not opposed to drug testing. I know we can't do this, but I would prefer it 
to be for all students, and when I talked to students, that's how they felt."

The Conway drug-testing policy was approved in 2001, but was not 
implemented in order to see how the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the 
constitutionality of random drug testing, which it has since upheld.

Fiddler read a statement before the vote was taken. "This has not been a 
knee-jerk reaction based on whims of only a few. The countless hours of 
writing, rewriting and scratching heads has been taken on for one reason, 
to do what is best for our kids," he said.

"This situation has evoked highly charged emotions both pro and con." He 
said those opposed to it have cited lack of research, while others believe 
drug testing has worked in other school districts.

Also, some parents have provided research that participation in 
extracurricular activities is a deterrent to drug use, while other parents 
want their children tested even if they aren't involved in school activities.

Dr. Pebble Sutherland, a pediatrician, said drug testing "might help a few, 
but may hurt just as many," because there is no scientific evidence that 
drug-testing is effective. She believes being in extracurricular activities 
is "protective," and while no parent wants a child to use drugs, even if 
they are, "participation is better than sending them home."

Fiddler also said, reading from the statement: "We know we have a drug 
problem. Anyone who believes that we do not is sadly mistaken. ... The 
board is now researching counseling programs to serve as prevention or 
intervention. We want to try to give kids more confidence to avoid drug use 
by providing information to them. ..."

Simmons said drug testing is "way down on the list" of programs that impact 
student achievement. "I've got many other things I want to do. The number 
one thing we're here for is learning."

Simmons reported to the board that the district has surpassed the 8,000 
enrollment mark as of today, up 166 students from this time last year.

Other business

In other business, the board hired the following:

Darlene Sowers, English teacher at Conway High School-East; Heather 
Kendrick, oral communications, CHS-West; Paula Vandaveer, instructional 
paraprofessional/behavior support assistant, Florence Mattison Elementary 
School; Tony McCoy, instructional paraprofessional/behavior support 
assistant, Carl Stuart Middle School; Angela Boyd, kindergarten teacher, 
Ida Burns Elementary School; Melissa Randall, kindergarten teacher, Ellen 
Smith Elementary School; Heather Smith, kindergarten teacher, Ellen Smith; 
Cheryl Harbison, third grade, Ellen Smith; and Kim Lee, fifth grade, Sallie 
Cone Elementary School.

The following were hired for food service: Joanna Allen, Brenda Hightower, 
Teresa Howard, Michelle Hudspeth, Haskell Huffines, Janice Huffines, Mary 
Moody, Margaret Sanders, Debra Tarleton, Reba Wood, Doris Woods and Glenda 
French.

Substitute teachers hired were Shannon Boley and Sally Stuart.

A resignation was accepted from Ann Herring, bus driver.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens