Pubdate: Wed, 17 May 2006
Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL)
Copyright: 2006 Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Contact:  http://www.heraldtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/398
Author: Laura Green
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

SCHOOLS EXPAND DRUG SCREENINGS

All New Employees, Regardless Of Position, Will Be  Tested

SARASOTA COUNTY -- Starting today, anyone who applies  for a job with
the county school district, whether they  are a candidate for
superintendent or custodian, must  pass a drug test before being hired.

Until now, only employees who have direct contact with  students --
teachers, aides, bus drivers -- were tested  as a condition of employment.

School Board members approved the policy change Tuesday  night in a
unanimous vote.

"We as a district need to do everything we possibly can  to ensure
that our children are safe," said School  Board Chairwoman Carol Todd.

The change was not precipitated by any incident  involving a district
employee under the influence of  drugs, school officials said.

It's the district's latest effort to add another layer  of security
for students.

"I have a concern about being able to look parents in  the eye and say
we have the right kind of people near  your children," said Human
Resources director Scott  Lempe.

Pre-employment drug testing is already a common  practice in a number
of industries, especially ones  involving heavy machinery or requiring
a specialized  driver's license.

It is growing more common among school systems, said  Wayne Blanton,
executive director of the Florida School  Boards Association.

Nearby Lee and Charlotte County school districts  already require a
drug screening for all employees as  part of the application process.

In Manatee County, only bus drivers, custodians,  maintenance workers
and employees who work with heavy  machinery are subject to
pre-employment drug tests.

In Sarasota County, school district employees are  fingerprinted and
checked against a state and federal  criminal database to ensure they
have no felonies on  their record. Now they'll have to pass a drug
test too,  in the form of a blood test.

The $26.50 cost for the blood test will be picked up by  the
employee.

The policy change only affects new hires, and does not  institute
random drug testing of employees.

Unions officials support the change.

"I don't have a problem with them checking every new  hire before they
hire them," said Pat Gardner,  president of Sarasota
Classified/Teachers Association.

"I don't have a problem with that at all."

Drug testing policies vary widely among school  districts, said Jody
Shelton, executive director of the  American Association of School
Personnel  Administrators.

But she said all districts share one thing in common:

"We're all looking for ways to make schools safer for everyone in
those schools," Shelton said.

In September, Florida school districts began checking the criminal
backgrounds of all contractors who do business on school property in
response to a mandate from the legislature.
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MAP posted-by: Derek