Pubdate: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 Source: Casper Star-Tribune (WY) Copyright: 2000 Casper Star-Tribune Contact: P.O. Box 80, Casper, WY 82602-0080 Fax: (307) 266-0568 Website: http://www.trib.com/ GILLETTE SCHOOL DISTRICT CHANGES DRUG TESTING PROGRAM GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - The Gillette school district has made it harder for students who use drugs to participate in extracurricular activities. First, any test that appears to be tampered with will be treated as a "positive" instead of thrown out as they were last year, Activities Director Cliff Hill told school trustees. The district had several such tests in 1999-2000, Hill said. Students with suspicious tests must prove their innocence by taking another test at their own expense. If the second test is negative, the district will reimburse the student. Otherwise, the student will undergo counseling and not be allowed to participate for several contests, depending on the activity. The second change allows activity students to be tested if a coach or sponsor has "reasonable suspicion" that they are using drugs, even if they are not selected in the random pool. If the coach, the building principal and an activities director believe the suspicions are reasonable, they will discuss it with the parents. Then the student will be tested. If they refuse, the student will not be allowed to participate. Trustee Burke Jackson wanted to know the difference for "reasonable suspicion" of a student in the classroom and a student in extracurricular activities. "Activities are a privilege and education is a right," Hill said Monday. If a teacher suspects a classroom student of taking drugs, the student could be searched or possibly suspended. But officials cannot force the student to undergo a drug test. With students in activities, they can be tested for those types of indicators to make sure the sport is safe and to protect participating students, Hill said. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck