Pubdate: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 Source: Roanoke Times (VA) Copyright: 2005 Roanoke Times Contact: http://www.roanoke.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/368 Note: First priority is to those letter-writers who live in circulation area. Author: Cody Lowe, The Roanoke Times Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) SALEM SCHOOLS EYE RANDOM DRUG TESTS The Proposal Comes From a Committee That Studied the School System's 20-Year-Old Athletic Drug Pledge. A Salem school system committee has proposed a random drug-testing program as the best means to discourage illegal drug use among athletes and other students involved in extracurricular activities. That proposal will go before the Salem School Board on Tuesday, when Superintendent Wayne Tripp will outline the conclusions of a 15-member committee he appointed in May. Tripp asked the panel to look at the school division's athletic drug pledge, in use for two decades. The pledge requires athletes to promise that they will not use drugs during their sports seasons, or be subject to discipline by the school system that can range from suspension from their teams or from school. Tripp pointed out that the athletes' pledge deals only with off-campus behavior. When they are in school, or at school functions even if they are off campus, they are subject to the Standards of Student Conduct -- including a prohibition of drug use -- governing all students. "What happened when we got the study group together was that the coaches, athletes and parents were near unanimous in saying, 'We believe you've got to take this to another level ... that's got teeth in it,' " Tripp said. The committee concluded that the program would cost a minimum of $25,000 a year. A couple of things helped raise the issue for Salem's schools in the past year. One, according to the study committee's report, was "some discussion in the community that the use of alcohol and drugs has increased among our athletes." Tripp said there had been a spike in the number of drug offenses at the high school last year, although he didn't know the exact number and insisted that it is important "to keep in mind we're talking about pretty small numbers. Typically, we have 10 to 15 violations in any given year." Salem has approximately 4,000 students, including some 1,200 in the ninth through 12 grades in its high school. Most drug violations don't involve "buying from some druggie on the street corner, shooting up heroin, but getting them from mommy and daddy's medicine cabinet at home," Tripp said. Another incentive for looking at the policy was a change in Virginia law in May that requires the Virginia High School League, which oversees competitive extracurricular activities -- including athletics -- to impose a two-year ineligibility on students who use illegal steroids. It also requires that a coach's teaching license be revoked if he or she provides or turns a blind eye to steroids. There are a lot of details to be worked out before a drug-testing program could be implemented, but Tripp said he hopes one can be in place in time for the next school year, if the school board endorses the idea. He acknowledged that is an ambitious timetable, given that there will have to be a series of community meetings on the proposal, as well as one or more public hearings by the school board. No dates have yet been set. "There will be an opportunity for parents, teachers, coaches and the public to weigh in," Tripp said. It was at the public comment stage that a similar proposal for Roanoke County schools was killed a year ago after negative public reaction. But in Salem, "so far, we've had nothing but positive reactions," Tripp said. "I've run the idea by the PTA Council, by the superintendent's advisory teacher council, even in front of the student advisory group. I've not had a negative voice yet." Still, "people will argue about anything, of course, so I expect there will be opposition," he said. "We'll put it in front of the community and see what happens at that stage." The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that school divisions could impose random drug tests on athletes and others involved in extracurricular activities, including those who drive themselves to school. Such activities are privileges, not rights, the court said, and schools' interests in keeping drugs out supersedes students' right to privacy. "We're well aware of the fact that this is likely to provoke a lot of discussion," Tripp said. Earlier this year, Robert Kanaby, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations, told Congress that while drug testing is an effective deterrent, most school systems can't afford it. He urged Congress not to require such tests, but to focus "primarily on education rather than on mandates relating to testing or other punitive measures. ... At our level, education is the right answer." Tripp said education would be a critical part of any drug testing program in Salem. The study committee's proposal suggests that a positive test result in counseling for the student and parents, as well as "continued testing if necessary." And Tripp said he believes the system needs "to improve on our intervention after a student is found to have problems," making that more comprehensive. "The proposal is a long way from being perfected," Tripp said. The drug policy is only one aspect of a broader look at extracurricular activities the Salem schools have undertaken. Among other things that will be presented to the school board Tuesday is a report on Salem High's compliance with federal Title IX regulations requiring equality in the treatment of boys and girls sports. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake