Pubdate: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 Source: Mount Shasta Herald (CA) Copyright: 2006 Mt. Shasta News Contact: http://www.mtshastanews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3515 Author: Paul Boerger Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) SUHSD PLANS PUBLIC FORUMS ON DRUG TESTING Weed and Mount Shasta High Schools will hold public forums hosted by the school's principals on the issue of drug testing students on Monday, August 7th at 7 p.m. at both campuses. The issue is also on the Siskiyou Union High School board meeting agenda for the August 9th meeting, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at McCloud High School. WHS principal Mike Matheson and MSHS principal Jim Cox have proposed drug testing for athletes, student body officers and pep squad members. The board has voted 6-1, with trustee Lori Harch dissenting, to approve a first reading of the proposal. "We're looking to putting the issue before the public," said SUHSD superintendent Richard Holmes. "We're not wedded to drug testing. We want to look at all avenues to support kids in their refusal skills." Citizens have objected to the proposal at previous SUHSD board meetings on various grounds including violation of constitutional search and seizure protections, whether such a program is really a deterrent and whether the testing is equitable as it tests a narrow range of students. Proponents say the testing would offer students an opportunity to say no to drugs and head off potentially serious drug problems. The proposal calls for random testing of the target group with an oral swab that tests for amphetamines, cocaine, methamphetamines, opiates, PCP and THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Students found in violation would be subject to suspension from participating for various periods of time, depending on whether it is a first, second or third offense. A third offense would result in the student being suspended from that activity for their entire high school career. Refusal to take the test or tampering with the test would be treated as a positive result. A second analysis of the same sample would be performed if the test comes back positive. Parent agreement with the policy is necessary for a student to participate in athletics. The schools already have similar rules in place for using illegal drugs, but without the testing. The proposal says there would be no notification to law enforcement of test results and that students refusing to participate in the counseling program would be suspended from the extracurricular activity. A source of funds to perform and analyze the tests has not been established that Holmes said is approximately $25 per test. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek