Pubdate: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 Source: Cincinnati Enquirer (OH) Copyright: 2006 The Cincinnati Enquirer Contact: http://enquirer.com/editor/letters.html Website: http://enquirer.com/today/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/86 Author: Karen Gutierrez, Enquirer Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) NEWPORT CRACKING DOWN Drug Testing Of Students, Teachers May Be Next NEWPORT - Under a new rule, Newport student athletes may lose their playing privileges if they use alcohol or drugs, smoke cigarettes, commit vandalism or possess a weapon - even if the violations occur on their own time and property. In front of a tense crowd of 40, the Newport School Board endorsed the code of conduct on Wednesday as a temporary measure while a committee looks into random drug testing of students and employees. The code will apply not only to athletes but also to students participating in any other extracurricular activities. Superintendent Michael Brandt said he will be talking with the school board attorneys to make sure it's legal to require students to sign the code even if they are already members of the team or club. If so, he will meet with parents and students to explain the code before they are expected to sign it. "Extracurricular activities are a privilege," Brandt told the audience, "and that's what we're going to get back to." The code comes in the wake of misdemeanor charges against Newport school board member Jim Hesch and his wife, Helen, a Newport Middle School teacher. They are accused of allowing juveniles to consume alcohol in their home. Neither of the Hesches was at the meeting . In addition, former Newport High School teacher and volleyball coach Brandon Hall faces a felony charge of providing students with alcohol and using marijuana with them. Hall has told police that the Hesches allowed their underage son, the quarterback of Newport's football team, to consume alcohol, police reports state. As a result, some community members have called for a stricter drug-and-alcohol policy for student athletes. The new code of conduct is a hybrid of various school policies that Brandt found on the Internet, he said. The school board also voted Wednesday night to create a committee, to be led by pupil personnel director Mark Goetz, that will research and recommend a policy on random drug-testing of students and new hires. Brandt had mentioned this to the board before the recent arrests, but the police investigation gave the matter new urgency. Brandt said he hoped the committee would report to the board in February, leaving time for a policy to be approved and become effective by next fall. During the meeting, Newport High School parent Dan Beach asked whether current employees also would be randomly tested. "It would be a good example for students. ... They wouldn't feel they were being singled out," Beach said. Brandt said he would tell the committee that it is free to look at all issues, including policies regarding current employees. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom