Pubdate: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 Source: Scott County Times, The (MS) Copyright: 2006 The Scott County Times Contact: http://www.sctonline.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4116 Author: Tami K. Phillips, Times Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) MEETING OUTLINES POSITIVE TESTING CONSEQUENCES Students in the Scott County School District participating in extracurricular activities will be subject to random drug and alcohol testing starting this school year. "We're looking at this as a preventative tool," said Superintendent Frank McCurdy about the Scott County School Board's decision to implement a drug testing policy. "We want this to be a deterrent. If a child is using drugs, we want the parents and anyone involved to know so they (the student) can be helped." McCurdy spoke to principals and staff from schools within the district, as well as parents, during a meeting last week concerning the new policy. All students in grades seven through 12 involved in extracurricular activities, including school clubs, must sign a consent form agreeing to testing this school year. Lori Hamilton with MEA Medical Clinic, the organization implementing the tests, told those present at the meeting that all drug and alcohol testing would be unannounced and confidential. "I will treat your child like I would want my child treated if she was tested," Hamilton said. "We are not here to find your kids and make a public spectacle of them. We're here to give them other options." Hamilton said that the schools would provide her office with a list of eligible students to be tested and a computer would then randomly select 10 percent of the names from a testing pool. School administrators and staff will not know which students will be tested until an MEA Medical Clinic representative arrives at the school with a list of students to be tested. The school nurse will act as the site drug test coordinator at each campus. Testing will be conducted once each school quarter. "We just show up at the school," Hamilton said. "They do not know when we're coming." The MEA representative will then collect a urine specimen from the students. The specimen will be sealed with a statement indicating that the student was present at the time. If a student is unable to provide the urine specimen after one hour, a hair or salvia test will be administered. The school district may also require any activity student to submit to a drug test if there is reasonable suspicion that the activity student has or is using a prohibited drug and/or alcohol. Some of the observation factors for reasonable suspicion testing include (1)Direct observation by a coach/activity director of drug/alcohol use (2) Abnormal or erratic behavior indicating intoxication at school, practice or at an event function or contest (3) Physical symptoms indicating intoxication including but not limited to glassy or bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, loss of balance, poor coordination or reflexes (4) First-hand information provided by reliable and credible (preferably adult) sources of use or intoxication while at school, practice, or at an event, function, or contest (5) The presence of the drug on the activity student, detectable by the senses, such as the smell of activated marijuana or alcohol. Parents of non-activity students can request that their children be tested as well. McCurdy outlined the consequences students face if they test positive: On the first positive, (1) the student must attend a drug counseling or education program at the student's expense. (2) The student may continue to participate in his/her extracurricular activities only after the activity student's parent/guardian signs a Continuance of Participation Waiver that releases the SCSD of any responsibility in case the activity student should have any adverse reactions related to the positive test indicating illegal drug or alcohol use. (3) The student will be required to submit to periodic or unannounced retests up to six months after the first positive test. On the second positive, (1) the student will be suspended from all extracurricular activities for one month. (2) The student must again attend drug counseling or a rehabilitation program. (3) The student must provide a negative retest to be reinstated in any extracurricular activities. (4) The student will be required to submit to periodic or unannounced retests up to one calendar year after the second positive. Any activity student's refusal to meet these criteria will result in his or her immediate removal from all extracurricular activities. On the third positive, (1) the student will be suspended from all extracurricular activities for one calendar year. During the one-year suspension, the student will then become part of the general population and be subject to the general student reasonable suspicion testing policy. Having a positive test under that policy could result in alternative placement or expulsion from school. Hamilton said that information on positive tests would not be released to law authorities or to the media. For more information on the drug and alcohol testing policy, contact the Scott County School District at (601) 469-3861 or log on at http://scott.k12.ms.us/. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman