Pubdate: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX) Copyright: 2000 Amarillo Globe-News Contact: P.O. Box 2091, Amarillo, TX 79166 Fax: (806) 373-0810 Website: http://amarillonet.com/ Forum: http://208.138.68.214:90/eshare/server?action4 Author: David Stevens, Southwest News Services FATHER CITES LOCKNEY CASE IN JOB LOSS LOCKNEY - The man who sued the Lockney school district because of its mandatory drug-testing policy said Friday he lost his job as a farm hand because of his involvement in the lawsuit. "It has everything to do with last night," Larry Tannahill said, referring to the community's large show of support for the policy in a Thursday-night school board meeting. "I knew this was coming," Tannahill said. "What I told him (his boss) several months ago was that I knew what was going on, that this was taking a lot of time, that it was hard on him and his family and his business, and I understood if he wanted me to go ahead and leave. I opened the door for him." Tannahill said he thinks he did the right thing by opposing the drug policy. He said he was informed of his dismissal Friday morning but knew before the meeting Thursday he would be leaving at the end of the month. Lindan Morris, who operates Floyd County Farm and Ranch Supply in Lockney, said he employed Tannahill as a farm hand. Morris said the suit had nothing to do with Tannahill's dismissal. Morris said Tannahill was hired last fall to work through the harvest season only. Morris said he kept Tannahill on longer as an act of kindness. "The policy had nothing to do with him losing his job," Morris said. "If it did, he would have been gone a long time ago." Morris said Tannahill has missed a lot of work recently. In the last 15 days, Tannahill left early or came in late five times, Morris said. Tannahill said he missed some work during the past few weeks, but "nothing has been neglected." He said he knew Morris for a long time but worked for him only six months. The American Civil Liberties Union named Tannahill and his 12-year-old son, Brady, as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Lockney Independent School District this month. The lawsuit alleges the sixth-grader's Constitutional rights are being violated under conditions of a mandatory drug-testing policy the school board approved late last year. Under the policy, students who fail to submit to a drug and alcohol screening are subject to punishment, as are those who test positive. Refusing to take the test equals a positive result, Lockney schools superintendent Raymond Lusk said, and that means the student will have to serve three days of in-school suspension, have three drug-counseling sessions and 21 days of suspension from extracurricular activities. Because of the lawsuit, attorneys for both sides said the boy will not be subject to punishment until a ruling is made. The American Civil Liberties Union is providing representation for the Tannahills. Larry Tannahill said his main objection to the drug-testing policy is that students are tested whether or not there is suspicion of drug use. He said the mandatory testing policy interferes with responsibility he and his wife share as parents. "One of my arguments has been if you think you've got a problem with one of my boys, call me. I'll take care of it. That's my job. The good Lord gave them to us, not to the school district," he said. School board officials Thursday night heard a final appeal of Tannahill's case but took no action. About 700 people showed up for the meeting, many wearing red and white T-shirts supporting the board's policy. Tannahill is the only parent who declined to sign a waiver allowing the testing. Tannahill said he has no plans to take court action in an effort to get his job back. "I understand he (Morris) is under a lot of pressure. He has a family to support also," Tannahill said. He also said he has no plans to leave the area. "I'm very proud of the way the community has reacted," he said. "The school has been great. There are no problems there." He said that while public support for his stance on the drug-testing issue has been lacking, he has received quiet support from within the community. Globe-News Staff Writer Jessica Raynor and Morris News Service contributed to this report. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck