Pubdate: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV) Copyright: 2003 Charleston Daily Mail Contact: http://www.dailymail.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76 Author: Associated Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 ( Students - United States) CALHOUN STUDENTS MAY GET DRUG TESTS Tests Required For Extracurricular Activities In Schools MOUNT ZION -- Calhoun County students in extracurricular activities will soon be subject to random drug tests and must remain drug-free to continue participating. The Calhoun County Board of Education has unanimously passed the "Student Activity Drug Testing Policy." It penalizes any student who tests positive or refuses to submit to the tests. "It will happen; we will test," Superintendent Ron Blankenship said. "If you're going to represent the county in any activity, you have to understand you're going to be held to a higher standard." When the policy takes effect Feb. 1, Calhoun County will join Braxton and Logan as the three West Virginia counties to pass such a policy, said the state's safe and drug free schools coordinator Mary Jane Kerwood. The policy will govern Calhoun County middle and high school students whose activities involve competing with other schools, including athletes and cheerleaders, band members, singers, members of academic teams, Future Homemakers of America and Future Farmers of America members. Blankenship expects it to affect about 140 students. Board member Carlene Frederick voted for the policy, but she believes testing only the "activity" student will solve a minority of the schools' drug problem. "We're not reaching the children that need to be reached," she said. "The majority of the kids in extracurricular activities are not the ones using drugs the most, but it's other children." Kerwood said that's all the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed. Case law permits school systems to test only students in activities. "The decision is that education is a right, but extracurricular activities are a privilege and that the schools have a right to withhold that privilege," Kerwood said. "I hope we don't have a problem," Calhoun High head basketball coach Tim Davis said. "Sometimes as a coach you think it might be a little unfair. They don't get any extra privileges and get harsher treatment. You just have to play by the rules." Davis' sophomore forward, Victor Carpenter, said, "I think if you don't have your mind on basketball, you shouldn't be playing. If you want to play ball, you shouldn't be out doing stuff you shouldn't do." Students, coaches and parents will all be required to sign a drug test consent form before students will be allowed to participate in activities. Mike Hayden, executive director of the state Secondary School Activities Commission, said, "We take a neutral position on it. We support our county boards and what they do, but it's an individual county decision." For a first offense, a student's parents will be notified and the student will have to undergo counseling and a mandatory second drug test within two weeks. Second-time offenders will face suspension from all activities covered under the policy for 14 calendar days and be required to seek four hours of counseling. The student will be randomly tested monthly for the remainder of the school year. Third-time offenders in the same school year will be subject to a complete suspension from extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year or 90 school days, whichever is longer. The suspension would include meetings, practices, performances and competitions. "This isn't for the good student," board member Ralph Cunningham said. "This is to keep the student who may not tend to abide by the rules, to keep him straight." Test results will be kept confidential among the laboratory, principal/athletic director, head coach/sponsor, parents and the student. Blankenship expects a federal grant will cover the costs of the random tests. Kerwood estimated such drug tests usually cost between $4 and $5 per test. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin