Pubdate: Tue, 04 Mar 2003
Source: Bristol Herald Courier (VA)
Copyright: 2003 Bristol Herald Courier
Contact: http://www.bristolnews.com/contact.html
Website: http://www.bristolnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1211
Author: Mike Still
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

BRISTOL VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD TO GET DRAFT DRUG POLICY AT MARCH 17 MEETING

Bristol Virginia School Board members will get their first look March 17 at 
a draft policy that would require drug testing for all students involved in 
extracurricular activities. School Superintendent Frank Finan confirmed 
Monday that School Board members will then have their first discussion on 
the draft -- drawn up at the board's request by School Board Attorney 
Joseph Lyle -- since the board discussed the issue in January.

The policy was not on the board's Monday meeting agenda, and Finan said the 
draft does not yet represent the board's official position on the matter.

Under the draft policy, any student and his or her parent or guardian would 
have to sign a consent to drug testing, including a mandatory initial drug 
test, before being eligible to participate in any extracurricular activity.

A random, weekly urine screening arrangement would be established under a 
school board-selected drug abuse prevention coordinator, with privacy and 
security arrangements to be set up within a testing procedure.

Law enforcement personnel would not be informed of positive test results 
under the proposed policy, "absent legal compulsion by valid and binding 
subpoena or other legal process, which the school system shall not solicit."

Lyle told the board in January that U.S. Supreme Court decisions in 1995 
and 2002 allow the drug testing, not as punishment but for protection of 
the student and those around him or her.

The policy also would not prevent the board from using other disciplinary 
measures in division policy "when founded upon reasonable belief and 
suspicion that the student has participated in illegal drug-related 
activities."

A positive drug test, under the draft policy, would result in notification 
of the superintendent, the student's parents, and only school personnel 
necessary to "implement the discipline and intervention provided for in 
this policy."

A first positive test would mean that the student would be placed on 20 
days' probation from any extracurricular activity and would be encouraged 
to seek treatment and/or counseling.

A second positive result in the same school year or any two consecutive 
school years would result in the student being suspended from any 
extracurricular activity for that school year and the next year.

If a student gets a third positive test within two consecutive school 
years, he or she would be suspended permanently from any extracurricular 
activities while enrolled at the school.

In other business, the School Board:

* approved a $162,700 bid by OK Construction to replace windows at Highland 
View Elementary School;

* agreed to negotiate a contract with Marion-based Spectrum Design to 
provide architectural services as needed for capital projects;

* declared surplus five buses and two automobiles that either were too old, 
worn or damaged for further use by the school system;
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom