Pubdate: Sun, 15 May 2005
Source: Enid News & Eagle (OK)
Copyright: Enid News & Eagle 2005
Contact:  http://www.enidnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2012
Author: Tippi Rasp, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD SET TO VOTE ON DRUG CHECKS FOR THOSE IN EXTRA-CURRICULAR 
EVENTS

The committee that developed and proposed a drug testing policy to Enid 
Public Schools administrators and board members focused on the perception 
of drug use and abuse among the nation's teens.

"We weren't focusing just on Enid," said David Meara, school board 
president and committee member. "Anybody that pays attention to the studies 
admits there is quite a bit of drug and alcohol use in high schools 
starting as early as seventh grade."

Meara said the committee commissioned to study the details related to drug 
testing didn't really focus much attention on what particularly was 
happening in the community, rather the various degrees of use and abuse all 
around the country.

"We're all looking for ways to help young people stay away from drugs and 
alcohol," Meara said.

The board is expected to vote on the policy during a 7 p.m. Monday board 
meeting at Hayes Elementary School. Board members approved the initial 
reading of the policy and consent form May 2.

The proposal still was under legal review by attorneys last week, and 
Superintendent Kem Keithly said there were some parts that would require 
rewording.

He said the board first began talking about the idea of drug testing during 
study sessions two years ago. Keithly said there are a "few, not many" 
violations of the school's drug policy during the course of a year. 
Testing, however, will provide more accountability to eighth- through 
12th-graders participating in extracurricular activities.

"We have been struggling with how do you help young people stay off drugs," 
Meara said. "There has been a lot of research lately showing the particular 
damage drug use does to young people. The younger they start, the more 
problems they develop. Drugs have a much higher affect on young people."

The proposed policy governs tobacco, alcohol, illegal and 
performance-enhancing drug use by pupils participating in extracurricular 
activities governed by Oklahoma Sec-ondary School Activities Association.

The new proposal also allows the district to randomly test those same 
students any time they are suspected of using illegal substances, including 
performance-enhancing drugs.

Students and parents would be required to sign a consent form allowing the 
district to conduct the drug test. Prior to drug testing each year, an 
orientation session will be held with each student involved in activities 
to educate them to the sample collection process, privacy arrangements and 
drug testing procedures.

According to the proposed policy, parents and students would be notified of 
an initial positive finding. That finding would be verified, and parents 
and students would be contacted to determine if there are any mitigating 
circumstances for the finding.

The initial round of testing would be paid for through a $25,000 grant from 
Champlin Founda-tion. A number of model policies were reviewed and studied 
by the committee. By law, only students participating in extra-curricular 
activities can be tested.

Supreme Court ruled students participating in extracurricular activities 
may be tested for drug use after a Tecumseh student in the school's choir 
battled Tecumseh Board of Education all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. 
Former Tecumseh student Lindsay Earls, her sister and another student, 
fought the board because they said it violated their first amendment rights 
and on the basis that students participating in choir, academic team and 
other non-athletic activities did not pose a danger to other students if 
under the influence of drugs.

The Supreme Court ruled in the school's favor in 2002.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom