Pubdate: Wed, 12 Dec 2007
Source: State, The (SC)
Copyright: 2007 The State
Contact:  http://www.thestate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/426
Author: Devon Copeland
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

STUDENTS TO BE GIVEN DRUG TESTS

A policy that would provide for random drug and alcohol  tests on
students who participate in sports and other  extracurricular
activities was approved by Lexington 3  officials Tuesday night.

The measure could cost about $8,000 and affect nearly  1,000 students.
The district will begin testing  students in grades seven through 12
beginning this  fall.

The policy will target alcohol and drug use, including  marijuana,
opiates, cocaine and PCP. Superintendent  Bill Gummerson said the
district will not test for  steroid use because that is too expensive.

The district will test 25 percent of students involved  in
extracurricular activities, and students will sign a  testing-consent
form before being allowed to  participate.

Students who fail a test will receive a two-week  suspension from the
activity and be assigned to  counseling sessions. A second violation
would trigger a  one-year suspension, and a third violation would end
a  student's participation in all extracurricular  activities.

The district will hire an independent testing  organization to do the
screening. Each student will be  assigned an identification number
that would be  selected randomly by computer.
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MAP posted-by: Derek