Pubdate: Tue, 25 Sep 2007
Source: Journal-News (Hamilton, OH)
Copyright: 2007 Cox Ohio Publishing
Contact:   http://www.journal-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/915
Authors: Megan Gildow and Danielle Wilson, Staff Writers
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

EDGEWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Board OKs Random Drug Testing Of Students

TRENTON - Edgewood board members took the final step  toward 
implementing random student drug testing Oct. 1  to the praise of one 
parent - and the chagrin of  another.

With only a handful of district residents in the  audience, the Board 
of Education unanimously approved  the policy and regulations behind 
an Aug. 27 decision  to begin a grant-funded random student drug 
testing  program for high school students who participate in 
extracurricular activities or park on school grounds.

Wearing an Edgewood football T-shirt, parent Chris  Boggs thanked the 
board for its decision to begin a  drug testing program as part of 
the district's  comprehensive drug and alcohol prevention program.

But parent and board candidate Karen McIntyre  criticized the 
district's communication with parents  regarding the policy.

"The school needs to talk to the parents," McIntyre  said, adding 
that she was upset to learn about the plan  to begin random drug 
testing from an article in The  Journal.

The program, which will be administered by Edgewood  High School 
Assistant Principal Jeff Dennis, will test  about 12 to 15 students 
each month, according to York.  If a test comes back positive for 
drug use, parents  will be notified by Mercy Health Professionals 
prior to district notification, according to the policy approved  by 
the board. Parents and students would have 48 hours  to provide proof 
of a prescription or appeal the  results with a negative screen from 
an approved medical  office.

If a student fails a test, he or she would not face  academic 
punishment such as a school suspension. The  consequences would 
include a suspension from activity  participation and a reinstatement 
process including  providing a negative test screen and a session 
with a  medical professional licensed to deal with drug use.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom