Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jul 2005
Source: Natchez Democrat, The (MS)
Copyright: 2005 Natchez Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2205
Note: Note: 150 word count limit on LTEs
Author: Julie Finley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

CDTAC TO DRUG TEST STUDENTS THIS YEAR

NATCHEZ - Adams County Christian School is giving its students an excuse to 
say no to drugs.

Starting this fall every student in grades seven through 12 will be drug 
tested once. After everyone has been tested once, all names will go back 
into a pool for random drug testing for the remainder of the year.

"The total objective is we want to give our kids a tool to say no with," 
Headmaster John Gray said. "We try to give our dead level best to offer our 
student body a drug-free campus."

Gray said drug-testing talks had been ongoing for sometime, but the policy 
was finalized at Wednesday night's school board meeting.

The drug tests are not the result of a specific incident, he said, but will 
help cut back on rumors among parents and students.

The testing will be done through a local private company, Workforce 
Consultants. Gray said every student would be tested at least once by the 
end of the first semester.

The tests will be funded through government grant money the school recently 
received.

"Funds were a major reason it hasn't been done before," Gray said. "We 
really want it handled professionally."

Each student will be tested for five types of drugs. Parents were notified 
at the beginning of the month about the tests and received a copy of the 
drug policy. The policy will become a part of the school handbook. A 
student consent form must be signed and returned to the headmaster by the 
end of the first week of school.

The tests are mandatory for any student attending the school. If a test 
comes back positive for drug use the administration will follow a 
discipline procedure that includes probation time and could ultimately lead 
to expulsion.

ACCS joins the other private and parochial schools in town that have 
testing policies of some sort.

Cathedral School does not do scheduled or random testing but does have a 
policy that any student can be tested if there is suspicion, Principal Pat 
Sanguinetti said.

Trinity Episcopal Day School's handbook has a similar policy and includes 
random drug testing in grades seven through 12. Positive tests or test 
refusals can result in expulsion.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth