Pubdate: Sat, 24 Jun 2006
Source: Branson Daily News (MO)
Copyright: 2006 The Branson Daily News
Contact:  http://www.bransondailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4031
Author: Brandon Cone, BDN Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG TESTING AWAITS FINAL APPROVAL

Officials with the Branson School District say that  they are already 
making preparations to begin a random  drug-testing program for the 
upcoming school year.

Superintendent Doug Hayter said the policy only has one  more hurdle 
to jump before gaining full approval.

"We have sent a copy of the policy to the Missouri  School Board 
Association for final review," Hayter  said. "We are planning to 
implement the policy for this  upcoming school year."

Hayter said school faculty will begin determining which  students 
will be added to the pool in late July and  early August.

The policy, which gained approval from the school board  in May, will 
be random and will only apply to students  participating in 
extracurricular activities and  students who drive to school.

"This all hinges on privileges versus educational  rights," Hayter 
said. "For this reason, we have moved  away from any activities that 
affect a student's grade,  such as band.

"However any student that participates in an activity  that is a 
privilege will be subject to testing.

"Playing a sport is a privilege. A student does not  have to play a 
sport to receive an education. The same  with driving to school and 
parking. A student does not  have to drive to school. These are 
things we allow  students to do and that is why we made the decisions we did."

The board initiated the idea of random drug-testing in  October 2005. 
A task force of students, teachers and  administrators from the 
intermediate, junior high and  high schools met late last year to 
make the  drug-testing recommendations.

The company which conducts drug testing for the school  district's 
bus drivers, Employee Screening Services,  will also be conducting 
the students' drug tests.

The company also conducts drug tests for the students  and employees 
from other schools in southwest Missouri.

School Board President Peter Marcellus confirmed after  the board 
unanimously passed the measure last month  that its members have 
volunteered to be the first to  take part in the drug testing.

In Taney County, the Forsyth and Hollister school  districts have 
similar policies to test each student  who participates in 
extra-curricular activities. In  both districts, each student is 
tested at the start of  the school year.

The rest of the year, students are tested randomly.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman