Pubdate: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 Source: Siskiyou Daily News (CA) Copyright: 2006 Siskiyou Daily News Contact: http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/668 Author: Tim Rios, Daily News Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) SCHOOL BOARD VOTES TASK FORCES OVER DRUG TESTS MCCLOUD - The Siskiyou Union High School District board voted to form task forces to explore the subject of random drug testing for students instead of implementing the proposed plan at Wednesday's board meeting at McCloud High School. The board directed principals Jim Cox of Mount Shasta High School and Mike Matheson of Weed High School to form two separate 12-person task forces which would consist of three parents, three students, two teachers, a school nurse, an athletic director or coach, a behavioral health instructor and the principals' themselves. The task forces would explore the subject of drug testing in addition to other programs aimed at aiding in the education and prevention of drug and alcohol abuse. SUHSD superintendent Dick Holmes said that even though the issue of drugs and alcohol use among students is a problem, he went on to say, "This board is not interested in moving hastily." Only a handful of parents were on hand at the board meeting. Each gave differing opinions on the drug testing issue but all conceded that "something must be done." MSHS principal Jim Cox began the discussion by reporting the details of Monday night's drug testing forum to the board. Cox said he had a good turnout while noting that the 30 in attendance was out of a possible 700 parents who have students attending MSHS. Cox said he considered the amount of people in attendance a good turnout and that the conversation was positive, despite differing views. Cox said parents had concerns about the un-detailed proposal and the lack of policies and procedures if the board should vote to implement the drug testing. WHS principal Mike Matheson also reported on the forum at his school, saying that parents were concerned about the testing "causing an aura of distrust," and that the testing did not address what they believed to be the big issue: alcohol abuse. "Drug testing cannot be what we hang our hat on," Matheson said. "But it's a good next step." Holmes suggested that alcohol prevention programs used in the past should be reviewed as a way to address the alcohol issue. Matheson recanted a letter sent to him from a parent whose child, along with several of his friends, had made a commitment to stop using tobacco in preparation for the upcoming sports season. The letter also stated that the students' girlfriends also agreed to stop using tobacco in support of their boyfriends, according to Matheson. Parents in attendance gave the board ideas the task forces should explore further. One suggestion was to implement armbands for students as a "point of pride" and a reminder to stay clean. Another idea was to fold initial drug testing into the athletes' initial sports physicals and then conduct random tests throughout the season. An additional idea was to randomly test entire teams as opposed to testing individuals one at a time. SUHSD president George Winkelman concluded the discussion by saying that the subject needed more discussion. Holmes agreed by reading a prepared statement which called for more discussion and encouraged the board to stay the issue to be reviewed at a later date. He also called for the review and revision of the currents codes of conduct regardless whether the testing is implemented or not. His last recommendation was to implement task forces. Winkelman asked Cox and Matheson to bring a progress report about the task forces to the next board meeting held in October. Regarding volunteers, Cox said that he asked forum attendees to put a star by their name on the attendance sheet if they were interested joining a task force that would further explore the subject of drug testing. "I had too many names," Cox said. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath