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. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake