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TEXAS SCHOOLS SET DRUG TESTING POLICY

Schools across Texas are adding random drug testing and increased locker inspections to the agenda this year. 

Paris Independent School District is expected to pass a policy Aug.  30 that would call for testing of students in grades seven through 12 who participate in extracurricular activities. 

The policy has had two readings before the school board with passage expected after the final reading.  Board policy calls for three readings of a proposed policy change before trustees can add a district policy. 

Substances specifically tested for include those that are illegal to buy, possess, use, sell or distribute under state or federal law including alcohol and prescription drugs. 

Prairiland, Honey Grove and Rivercrest have had a similar policy in place for several years.  Clarksville trustees also have looked into the possibility. 

The increase in the number of schools implementing drug testing was spurred in part by a U.S.  Supreme Court ruling upholding the practice and by the lure of federal money that may help pay for it. 

In 2002, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that school officials' responsibility for the health and safety of their students can outweigh students' privacy concerns, overriding the Fourth Amendment argument against unreasonable searches. 

One company that provides testing for Texas schools has signed up nearly 30 districts across the state. 

The idea of random drug tests for students who participate in competitive after-school activities and those who drive to campus is an uncomfortable one for American Civil Liberties Union attorneys.  They have argued in lawsuits that such tests violate the Fourth Amendment and other privacy protections. 

''If the school district is concerned with the long-term health of their students, this is the wrong way to go about it,'' Will Harrell, executive director of the ACLU of Texas, told the Houston Chronicle for its Sunday editions.  ''Students who are occasionally experimenting with drugs may choose not to participate in extracurricular activities that could lead them to a cleaner, healthier lifestyle.''

Harrell said school districts should focus their attention on decreasing the student-teacher ratio and providing adequate textbooks. 

But local school officials think drug testing will help the district prevent drug use and help those who have a problem. 

The policy calls for parent conferences and student referrals to drug counseling programs if a student tests positive for drug use, according to Paris Deputy Superintendent Mark Hudson. 

Results are to be kept confidential and will not become a part of a student's permanent record nor be used in any disciplinary measure other than suspension from extracurricular activities. 

All students who participate in extracurricular activities will have an initial test and then a computer generated random selection for future tests will be used. 

Each drug test costs about $20, school officials said.  Cost to the district is anticipated at about $20,000 yearly.  Students or parents will be required to pay for all mandatory retesting after any positive test.