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SURRY SCHOOLS EXAMINE DRUG TESTING PROGRAM

DOBSON - Discussion continued on developing a drug testing program for Surry County Schools Monday evening.

During their monthly meeting, school board members asked Superintendent Marsha Bledsoe to conduct focus group interviews, speak with the county's high school principals and gather more information about the ins and outs of instituting such a program.

Board members discussed issues concerning the effect the program would have, who would be tested and how they would be tested.

"What is apparent is the dramatic deterrent effect ( a drug testing policy ) would have on the students," schools attorney Fred Johnson said.  He has made extensive inquiries into other policies and programs such as the Winston-Salem/Forsyth school system at the request of the board.

Johnson added the goal of a drug testing policy would not be to punish, but to help students who have tested positive receive help.  He stressed the importance of confidentiality in the testing procedure in order to help those who need it and not broadcast their problems to the student body.

Though he is waiting on success rates from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth schools, Johnson suggested simply knowing they could be tested at any time would deter students from using drugs.

"I'm not sure we wouldn't be penalizing the athletes," said board member I.  Bobby Hanes while addressing concerns of who would be tested.

Board members went back and forth trying to decide what population of the student body to test.  Discussion covered testing students involved with athletics to all involved with extracurricular clubs and organizations and went as far as considering testing youths in the middle schools.

"I think logistically we need to look at the high schools first," said board member Earlie Coe.

"We need to define extracurricular," Bledsoe told board members.

All high school students in the Surry County system are required to participate in a club of some kind, making the logistics of testing a problem.

To satisfy preliminary questions, Bledsoe and board members felt discussions concerning testing should tentatively encompass those students involved in extracurricular activities which compete with other schools.

"If we're serious about this ( implementing a drug testing program ), my opinion is if a student signs up for an extracurricular ( activity ) they need to be tested," said board member Brian Gates, responding to discussion concerning whether or not the testing would be random.

With random testing there is a chance one student would not be tested at all during their tenure while another could be tested multiple times.  Gates felt this would be unfair to the students so he suggested a once-a-year test for any student involved in extracurricular activities and concurred with other board members' suggestions to supplement the annual test with random tests throughout the year.

"It appears a substantial amount of drug use with the students deals with steroids and inhalants.  Some of the tests can't pick those up," Johnson said.

Another limitation to the tests are their ability to detect alcohol because of how quickly it passes through the body.

In lieu of purchasing what could be more than 8,000 questionnaires to be distributed throughout the community for feedback - at a cost of $1.28 each - - Bledsoe will be speaking with student focus groups to address some of the same questions and issues the board raised.  She will also be discussing the matter with all of Surry County's principals and reporting her findings to the board at next month's meeting on Feb.  3.

The board also discussed conducting a public hearing, but many felt past experience illustrates poor turnouts for open forums.

In other school board news, members defined three projects of the 2002-2003 Capital Outlay Needs to be of high priority.

Repaving North Surry High School's parking lot, refurbishing or constructing new bleachers at North Surry and Surry Central High Schools and adding covered walkways to Central and Pilot Mountain middle schools and Copeland, Dobson and Mountain Park elementary schools are high on the list.

These projects will be presented to the Surry County commissioners, requesting full or partial financial support after Bledsoe is able to finalize cost figures.