Pubdate: Fri, 22 Apr 2005
Source: Eufaula Tribune, The (AL)
Copyright: Eufaula Tribune 2005
Contact:  http://www.eufaulatribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1921
Author: Susan Gonsewski
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

SCHOOL BOARD DISCUSSES DRUG TESTING

Eufaula City Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Sadler will explore the
pros and cons of instituting a drug testing policy for students that
could be implemented by the next school year.

"It's a problem in our society," Sadler said. "We need to be proactive
and do all we can to keep drugs out of our schools."

The school system is already being proactive against drugs, Sadler
said. Police dogs are periodically used to search the high school and
middle school. Sometimes drugs turn up when students empty their
pockets during searches with metal detectors.

Operation Save Teens recently provided intense drug awareness programs
at both the high school and middle school. Sadler said he would gather
information about drug testing policies and procedures. He plans to
have a recommendation for the Eufaula Board of Education by July's
meeting. The law allows drug testing, according to attorney and board
chairman Jimmy Calton. He asked Sadler to check with the State
Department of Education and advise the board with his recommendation
either for or against it. "We could take it up and make a decision so
that it could go into effect by the next school year," Calton said at
Tuesday's board meeting. A decision in July would allow time for the
costs to be worked into next school year's budget, if the policy is
implemented. "There's a lot of expense involved with it," Calton said.
Parent Deborah Shaw asked the superintendent and board members to
consider mandatory drug testing for all high school students involved
with extracurricular activities. She suggested parents could pay the
costs for the tests as part of the fee to be in the sport or activity.
Six of the nine students expelled this school year were expelled for
drug violations. That is about the same or maybe less than last year,
according to Sadler.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin