Pubdate: Tue, 26 Apr 2005
Source: Greensboro News & Record (NC)
Copyright: 2005 Greensboro News & Record, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.news-record.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/173
Author: Jason Hardin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

ALAMANCE SCHOOLS WILL DO DRUG TESTS FOR ATHLETICS, BAND

BURLINGTON -- School spirit is no longer enough for Alamance County 
students who want to participate in sports or other extracurricular activities.

Now, school officials want something more: a clean drug test.

On Monday, the Alamance-Burlington school board voted to begin random drug 
testing of all high school students involved in extracurricular activities. 
That means everyone from football players to band members.

School officials say the policy is aimed at deterring drug use.

"This is not going to solve all our drug problems, but I think it's a piece 
to the puzzle," board member Jackie Cole said.

The policy, which passed unanimously, affects most of the high school 
students in the county. About 70 percent take part in extracurricular 
activities.

A number of parents and community members spoke against the measure, with 
some hinting that there were racial issues in the policy.

Some questioned the particulars of the policy, while others said they 
believe it could be enforced unequally.

Patsy Simpson, chairwoman of the education committee for the 
Alamance/Burlington NAACP, said that among the African American community 
there is a lack of trust in the school district.

The new policy will not help that situation, she said.

"It's creating a negative climate," Simpson said.

Students who test positive will be banned from extracurricular activities 
for three school months and will receive information about drug counseling. 
Subsequent positive tests increase the penalty, and a third positive result 
will bring a permanent ban on activities outside the classroom.

Positive tests will not result in other punishment, and the school district 
will not share the results of the tests with law enforcement.

The testing will cost about $25,000 annually.

Random testing in schools is uncommon in North Carolina, but it is done.

While Guilford County schools do not perform random testing, those in 
Forsyth County do. The school district there has been doing random testing 
in extracurricular activities for several years, spokesman Theo Helm said.

Monday's decision in Alamance County represents the latest ripple from the 
massive drug sting in 2004 that snared dozens of high school students.

Ultimately, more than 50 people pleaded guilty to felony charges relating 
to the sale or delivery of controlled substances.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom