Pubdate: Sat, 22 Jul 2006
Source: Sedalia Democrat (MO)
Copyright: The Sedalia Democrat 2006
Contact:  http://sedaliademocrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1801
Author: Matt Bird-Meyer, The Sedalia Democrat
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

BOARD TO DISCUSS DRUG TESTING

The Sedalia school board will discuss a proposed  student drug testing
policy and an attorney's opinion  of the legal risks Monday.

The Board of Education put off its decision July 10 on  randomly drug
testing students involved in  extracurricular activities. Board
members wanted a  legal opinion and a draft policy.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday at Smith-Cotton  High School and
is open to the public.

The district surveyed 162 Smith-Cotton High School  students in May
about drug use at the school.  Fifty-five percent of the students
favored drug testing  only student athletes.

The proposed testing policy would require all students  involved in
extracurricular activities to sign a  consent form to be randomly
selected for a drug test.  The policy outlines suspensions from
activities for  positive tests, an appeal procedure, student
confidentiality, and the district's role in helping  parents seek drug
counseling for students.

Superintendent Doug Ebersold said he will discuss the  availability of
insurance to help pay for counseling if  a student were to test positive.

A student would be suspended from activities for 28  days for testing
positive, 52 weeks for a second  offense, and for the remainder of the
student's  enrollment at the school for a third offense, according  to
the draft regulations.

The proposed regulation also requires one staff member  be tested at
random. Dr. Ebersold said the method of  selecting a staff member
would need to be worked out if  the policy is approved.

The testing program would cost about $7,500, according  to Dr.
Ebersold. Money used to pay for the district's  Sedalia Taking a New
Direction program and for security  cameras at the junior high and
high schools could pay  for the testing program, Dr. Ebersold said.

Students involved in STAND talk to elementary school  students about
the

dangers of drugs and how to resist peer pressure, Dr.  Ebersold
said.

Cylinda Brasher, an attorney for the district, cited  U.S. Supreme
Court cases that support drug testing in  schools under certain
conditions. A district must have  documented evidence to show the need
for drug testing  and that it has unsuccessfully tried other ways to
fight drug use, according to the 1995 case Vernonia  School District
vs. Acton.

Dr. Ebersold said district information shows a "minute  number" of
student athletes, between two and five per  year, were caught with
drugs, alcohol or tobacco during  the past five years. He said it is
difficult to  quantify the success of the district's drug and alcohol
awareness programs, such as the mock car crash before  prom and STAND.

Ms. Brasher's memo to the board said some of the risks  associated
with drug testing students include possible  changes in law and
ongoing testing expenses.

"Moreover, the district will be at risk for legal  claims arising out
of alleged violation of privacy  rights, confidentiality and due
process, (as) well as  for alleged claims of discrimination with
respect to  the treatment of individual athletes," Ms. Brasher  wrote.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake