Pubdate: Tue, 04 Nov 2003 Source: Decatur Daily (AL) Copyright: 2003 The Decatur Daily Contact: http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/696 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) DRUG TEST PROCEDURES IN HARTSELLE The Hartselle Board of Education adopted a policy in 2002 that outlines how students will be tested and the penalties for a positive test. A summary of the policy is listed below. The Hartselle Board of Education submits a master list of students who participate in extracurricular activities to the testing company. The company generates a random list of students to be tested. The company arrives at the school unannounced, and the students are pulled from the classroom and taken to the testing area. They are required to give a urine specimen. Any student who fails to give a specimen or leaves the testing area is disqualified from participating in extracurricular activities. a.. The results of the test are sent to a three-panel committee that includes the drug-testing coordinator, the high school nurse and the chairman of the Hartselle Board of Education. At no point is the name of the student placed on the test. The testing coordinator is the only person who can identify the students. If a test is positive, the testing coordinator notifies the student, the student's parent and the sponsor or coach of the activity. The parent has 72 hours to ask for another test of the split specimen. If the test is negative, the board pays the cost and the student returns to the activity. If the test is positive, the parent must pay for the second test and enroll the student in mandatory counseling. While in counseling, the student is suspended from the activity. a.. After counseling in complete, the student must test negative before he or she can return to the activity. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin