Pubdate: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 Source: White County News, The (GA) Copyright: 2007 The White County News Contact: http://www.whitecountynewstelegraph.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4446 Authors: Denise Etheridge, and Bruce Harper Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) DRUG TESTS OK'D FOR ATHLETES High school athletes will be randomly tested for drug use now that the school board approved a mandatory drug testing policy for student-athletes last Thursday. The vote was unanimous. Parents and members of the White County Meth Task Force present at the meeting thanked school officials for initiating the policy. No one voiced opposition to the new policy at the school board meeting. "If a (school) policy like this had been in place my daughter might be alive today," said Melissa Adams whose daughter, Shannon Harter, was killed five years ago in Harrison County, Miss. Harter's boyfriend later committed suicide and is believed to have been involved in her death. Adams said no one knew that her daughter's boyfriend was using drugs at the time. School board member Mitchel Barrett said he was concerned about steroid use among student-athletes, and asked if student-athletes suspected of using steroids could also be tested. White County School Superintendent Dr. Paul Shaw said a decision to test for steroids is up to the board. Currently the policy does not include testing for steroids because of the cost involved, Shaw said. Testing for prescription and other drugs costs the district $25 per student, but an additional test for steroids would cost $150 per student. "It's (the policy) not about being punitive, it's about helping students," said White County High School principal Byran Dorsey. Dorsey presented board members policy guidelines on how school officials will handle a positive drug test result. A student-athlete is given three chances, according to the policy. Should a student refuse to test, then that refusal will be considered an automatic positive test result. If a student-athlete tests positive for the first time, that student will be banned from 10 percent of the team's scheduled games. The student's parents must prove that the student is enrolled in a drug counseling program approved by the school principal. The student must also agree to another drug test at the family's expense. A student-athlete who tests positive for drugs a second time will be immediately suspended from their team. The student must then participate in a drug treatment and counseling program on a regular basis for no less than four weeks. The student will not be considered for reinstatement to their team unless they provide a negative drug test result to school officials, continue with drug counseling and agree to future drug testing on demand. The student athlete who tests positive twice runs the risk of not being reinstated to team athletics even after meeting the policy's requirements. Should a student-athlete test positive for drugs a third time, that student will be suspended from all interscholastic athletics. Student-athletes and their parents can appeal to the school principal within 72 hours of a positive test result should they disagree with the way the policy has been applied. Shaw and school faculty, including principals and coaches, have the authority to implement drug testing procedures. "I am in support of the school board's decision for drug testing," said WCHS football coach Gregg Segraves. "Testing is set up to help the student-athlete if he or she has a problem. This will give our drug free athletes a platform to be proud of the life they are living." Board members also approved policies to monitor student-athletes during hot weather, harassment and requiring written parental consent for students to join school clubs. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom