Pubdate: Fri, 09 Dec 2005
Source: Paris News (TX)
Copyright: 2005 Paris News
Contact:  http://www.theparisnews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/997
Author: Shalina Ramirez
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

TRUSTEES REVIEW DRUG TESTING POLICY

CLARKSVILLE - Clarksville Independent School District trustees
reviewed changes Thursday they would like to make to a proposed drug
testing agreement.

The board is scheduled to take action on the agreement Dec.15.

"We've had a survey for teachers and students on-line," Superintendent
Joe Oliver said. "So far what we've got, as far as comments go, is
very positive."

The proposed agreement is with Compliance Consortium Corp. of Belton
and offers three types of drug testing services at different costs.

If approved, services would include a three-panel screening for $17; a
five-panel screening for $18; and a 10-panel screening for $20. Each
screening varies in the substances for which it would test.

The proposal states substances available for testing include
amphetamine/ methamphetamine, cocaine, opiates/morphine, barbiturate,
methadone, marijuana, phencyclidine, benzodiapine, propoxyphene, and
methaqualone.

"This is not a situation to take kids to jail," Oliver explained.
"This is not a situation to put a bad mark on their record. This is a
time for kids to just say no."

The proposed policy, which also includes employee drug testing, states
the purpose of the district's mandatory drug testing program is to
ensure the health and safety of students and to serve as a deterrent
to the use of drugs by these students.

Implementing this program is intended to send a message to the
students that the school system cares about them as individuals and
about what they do to their bodies. It is a clear indication that the
district will not tolerate drug abuse in its school system, the policy
would state.

"I like what I hear, we need to do something as soon as we possibly
can," said Charlie Martin, high school principal.

The proposed policy would require students in grades 9-12 desiring to
participate in extracurricular programs to consent to mandatory random
drug testing.

Oliver said he would like to incorporate student drivers into the
policy as well. Those refusing testing would not be allowed to
participate in extracurricular activities or drive to school.

Students not driving or participating in extracurricular activities
could refuse to be tested.

"My only concern is loss of class time, if we blanket everybody,"
Martin said. "That's going to take a lot of time."

If approved, the drug testing program could be implement as soon as
January.

"I think that would get about 80 percent of our student body," Martin
said. "I would hate to pull kids out of class. We've got TAKS (Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) coming up. I would hate for kids
to miss instruction."

The proposed agreement also states students in grades 6-12 would
submit to an initial drug screen (mandatory screen) at the beginning
of each year and be subject to drug testing throughout the course of
the school year. Students would be required to provide the district
with written consent signed by both the student and a
parent/guardian.

Students testing positive to a drug test would have to participate in
a mandatory conference with the district's administrator and/or campus
principal, the proposed policy states. The student would be suspended
from participation in extracurricular activities for six weeks and
must agree to mandatory testing during the next three random testing
periods.

Oliver said he would like to amend the policy to a 30-day suspension
instead of six weeks and require the student to participate in
mandatory drug testing every time the testing is performed instead of
the next three test periods.

"Again, we can adapt and change this for our needs," he
explained.

The proposed agreement states the laboratory used by the district
would be certified to administer drug testing and all presumptive
positive results would be confirmed in a Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) certified laboratory using
GC/MS analytical procedures. Only the student, the parent or guardian,
and school officials designated by the superintendent would get results.

The proposed agreement also states confidentiality shall be maintained
at all levels. Results shall not be placed in student records. No
action shall be taken by the school against the student with a
positive test result other than suspension from participating in
extracurricular activities.

Names of students to be tested would be selected randomly by the
vendor for each testing session using a student identification number
or Social Security number. Under no circumstances would human
interference be allowed to alter the randomized nature of student
selection, the proposed agreement states.

Through the use of urine samples, the drug testing vendor would be
able to detect the presence of drugs taken prior to the test.

The percentage of students to be tested would vary between 10 and 15
percent of the student testing population. Monthly testing percentages
would be determined by the district. Results from the testing
laboratory would normally available within 48 hours from the time of
specimen collection.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin