Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jul 2003
Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (MS)
Copyright: 2003 The Clarion-Ledger
Contact: http://www.clarionledger.com/about/letters.html
Website: http://www.clarionledger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805
Author: Peggy Matthews
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

MADISON COUNTY SCHOOLS BEGIN NEW DRUG-TESTING PROGRAM

Mention random drug testing in school, and many envision a burly athlete
having to give a urine sample.

But a seventh-grade scholar?

Under the Madison County school district's new random drug testing policy,
the playing field is level for talented thinkers and musicians, as well as
athletes. Any student in an extracurricular activity, be it choir or
football or National Honor Society, is subject to testing.

The goal is to discourage drug use across the board, not catch miscreants,
said Superintendent Mike Kent.

"We hope we don't catch anybody and that the threat of losing eligibility
will inspire these kids and give them a reason to say no," Kent said.

The policy, which applies to anyone in extracurricular activities in junior
and senior high schools, takes effect when school opens Aug. 13.

Mary Lita Tigrett, an eighth-grade teacher at Madison Middle School, will be
collecting drug-testing consent forms from the parents of about 200 seventh-
and eighth-grade Beta Club members.

Parents and students must sign the testing consent form before any child is
allowed to participate in extracurricular activities. The policy affects
roughly 3,000 students.

Beta Club members are honor students with 90 percent or above averages,
whose only out-of-schol activity is the annual spring Beta Club competition.

"These are the kids least likely to do drugs," she said.

Although Tigrett has some concerns about how the policy will be implemented,
she does support it. Her own two children's names could be randomly tested.
Julie Tigrett is a cheerleader, and David Tigrett is a band member at
Madison Central.

"I am not against it in any way," she said. "I think it will make students
more responsible."

Both younger Tigretts said they support the policy.

"If you're doing that kind of stuff, it's bad. You should be punished if you
get caught," David Tigrett said.

According to the policy, if a child tests positive, the student and parents
are notified before school personnel.

Any student testing positive for an illegal or performance-enhancing drug,
such as an anabolic steroid, will not be able to participate in
extracurricular activities for 28 days, at which time they will be retested.
If clean, the student can continue to participate; if not, he can be sent to
Alternative School for a year.

A student found with illegal drugs at school is suspended for 10 days, with
the possibility of a one-year expulsion.

"We are in great hopes this policy will be a deterrent to people to not make
poor decisions," said Ronnie McGehee, assistant superintendent.
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