Pubdate: Fri, 03 Jul 2015
Source: Trentonian, The (NJ)
Copyright: 2015 The Trentonian
Contact:  http://www.trentonian.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1006
Author: Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

DISTRICT ADOPTS DRUG POLICY, CONSIDERS BREATHALYZING STUDENTS

HAMILTON - Six months after a local schoolteacher resigned following 
allegations of drug abuse and volatile behavior, the Hamilton 
Township Board of Education has adopted a comprehensive substance 
abuse policy that promises "appropriate discipline" against any 
educator who comes to work tipsy, drunk or drugged up.

"We cannot have teachers come into the schools inebriated or out of 
control," Hamilton's school board president Tony Celentano said 
Tuesday in an interview with The Trentonian.

The Trentonian reported in January the explosive allegations 
surrounding former Crockett Middle School teacher Joseph Mahon, who 
resigned from his teaching position last December after then 
Superintendent James Parla pushed for tenure charges and 
administrative hearings.

Mahon was accused of making derogatory comments, conducting himself 
in an unprofessional fashion and having a history with substance abuse.

"The Board strongly advises any teaching staff member that has a 
dependency on a substance as defined in this policy to seek 
appropriate treatment," reads the school district's new substance 
abuse policy that passed June 22 on second read. "The Board has an 
obligation and the right to maintain a safe and healthy work environment."

In the new policy, the board recognizes that any teacher who reports 
to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol "poses a significant 
threat to their health, safety, and welfare and the health, safety, 
and welfare of others, including students and other staff members."

"Any teaching staff member who reports to work or attends a 
school-sponsored function where the teaching staff member has 
assigned job responsibilities under the influence of or in possession 
of any substance will be subject to appropriate discipline, which may 
include termination of a non-tenured teaching staff member or the 
filing of tenure charges for a tenured teaching staff member in 
accordance with law," the policy states.

"A teaching staff member shall be required to submit to an immediate 
medical examination to include a substance test if the Principal or 
designee has reasonable suspicion to believe a teaching staff member 
is under the influence of a substance during work hours or at a 
school-sponsored function where the teaching staff member has been 
assigned job responsibilities. Refusal of a teaching staff member to 
consent to the medical examination and substance test will be 
determined to be a positive result."

The school board on June 22 also adopted a similarly strong substance 
abuse policy that applies to all support staff members who work in 
the district in a non-teaching capacity.

Meanwhile, the Hamilton Township Board of Education is considering a 
regulation that may require each student entering a school-sponsored 
activity to submit to a breath alcohol test.

"The purpose of the policy is to ensure the youngsters can know ahead 
of time they can be tested at a prom or athletic event," Celentano 
said Tuesday of the proposed breath alcohol testing regime.

If the school board passes the breath alcohol testing regulation on 
second read at its July 20 meeting, then school administrators with 
breathalyzer-device training would be empowered to determine how to 
test students. The administrators would have the discretion to test 
an entire group of students or a random selection of students. 
Administrators would also be permitted to administer breathalyzer 
tests on any student reasonably suspected of being drunk.

The school board introduced the breath alcohol testing regulation on 
first read last month on the recommendation of Interim Superintendent 
Thomas J. Ficarra.

Celentano said the policy is not perfect but that he probably would 
vote for it on second read at the upcoming July 20 school board meeting.

"I would rather try and fail rather than not try at all," he said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom