Pubdate: Tue, 11 May 2004
Source: Daily Citizen, The (Dalton, GA)
Copyright: Daily Citizen 2004
Contact:  http://www.northwestgeorgia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1929
Author: Misty Watson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

MURRAY BOARD DEBATES DRUG PUNISHMENT

CHATSWORTH - Members of the Murray County Board of Education Monday night 
debated how to handle the punishment of athletes who test positive for 
drugs if a mandatory drug testing policy is approved.

The board is expected to vote on the proposal during its June board meeting.

Some board members said the punishment proposed for a first-time offense is 
too severe. As the policy is currently written, if an athlete is tested 
positive for drugs he or she will be suspended for four games. If the 
student is positive a second time, the punishment is suspension for nine games.

Board member Faye Brindle said that punishment is too harsh for a 
first-time offense because everyone makes mistakes. She suggested having 
the athlete be dismissed from one game as a warning.

"I want to take a negative and make it a positive," Brindle said.

Board member Pat Hooker said she liked the punishment as it is written. She 
said the athletes will know before the start of the season what the 
consequence of drug use is going to be and if they make the decision to use 
drugs anyway they should pay those consequences.

The board decided to look at school systems that currently have a drug 
testing policy in place before making a final decision.

In other action, Jonathan Webb was appointed to the vacancy from District 4 
left on the board when Deborah Singleton-Green resigned to run for tax 
commissioner. Webb will be sworn in once he is approved by the state, 
officials said.

State law requires a person to resign from one local office in order to run 
for another.

Finance director Steve Loughridge told the board that the new Bagley Middle 
School will be finished on time and under budget. The school is expected to 
be ready for students the first day of fall classes.

Murray County High School's construction classes are making the bookcases 
and shelves for the school, which has saved money, officials said.

Superintendent Charlotte Pipkin recognized three high school juniors who 
will be participating in the Governor's Honors Program this summer. This is 
the first time there have been three finalists from Murray County.

Those participating are Justin Carter for math, Sidney Brehm for 
agri-science and Amy Johnson for English.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom