Pubdate: Fri, 28 Jun 2002
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2002 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.oklahoman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Michael Bratcher

AREA DISTRICTS TO EXAMINE TEST POLICIES

Schools: Tests 'A Way to Say No'

More Oklahoma students could face drug tests this fall as school officials 
across the state re-examine their drug-testing policies. Any changes would 
follow the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling Thursday allowing districts to test 
students who participate in athletics and other extracurricular activities. 
In Harrah, no districtwide drug testing policy is in place, but 
Superintendent Dean Hughes said the court's decision could cause the school 
board to consider the idea.

"The issue at this point will be costs," he said. "I think the board will 
revisit that, but now where that will go, I cannot speculate."

Hughes said he was superintendent in another district that tested all 
athletes, which cost the district about $10,000 a year.

At a time when districts are facing state aid shortfalls, funding to cover 
tests may have to come from outside the districts.

Superintendent Roxie Terry of Drumright Public Schools said his district 
suspended testing pending the Tecumseh case's outcome. Drumright tested all 
students involved in extracurricular activities for about a year and a half 
before the Tecumseh case was first heard.

During that time, about 65 percent of the student body was affected. Only 
one test was positive for drug use, he said.

"By having the testing policy in place, it gave those kids a way to say no 
to drugs and yet still be cool, and that was really the whole purpose," 
Terry said. "When it was presented in that way, not only did the kids 
support it, but so did the parents, teachers and coaches."

Now that the Supreme Court has reached a decision, the district intends to 
reinstate the policy, Terry said.

Drumright schools will continue to rely on donations from civic and 
community organizations to pay for drug tests.

Lucy Smith, school superintendent in McAlester, said she was pleased with 
the decision. She said sponsors of extracurricular activities have inquired 
about testing students in their programs, but the district was told to 
follow strict interpretations of former Supreme Court rulings.

"I know our board will want to look at the picture in terms of this 
decision," Smith said.

School officials in Pauls Valley considered adopting a policy similar to 
Tecumseh's but ultimately decided just to test athletes last year, 
Superintendent Bobby Russell said.

Russell said he won't immediately recommend any changes to the policy. He 
said any changes would need community input.

That's the advice Tecumseh's attorney and an attorney for the Oklahoma 
State School Boards Association said they will give districts seeking input 
about drug-testing policies. They said community support can be crucial.

Linda Meoli, who argued Tecumseh's case before the Supreme Court, said she 
would urge districts to use other tools to fight drug use before resorting 
to drug testing. She said Tecumseh uses police security in schools, 
surveillance cameras, drug interdiction dogs and drug prevention programs.

Julie Vogt, a state school boards association attorney who regularly 
advises state school boards, said a survey two years ago revealed more than 
100 or Oklahoma's 500 districts said they would consider drug testing if 
the courts issued a definitive decision.

"We had a lot of districts that abandoned the practice when all this came 
about that will probably rethink that now," she said.
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