Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jul 2008
Source: Bradenton Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2008 Bradenton Herald
Contact: http://www.bradenton.com/contact_us/feedback/
Website: http://www.bradenton.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/58
Author: John Lembo
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

SCHOOL BOARD BALKS AT DRUG TESTING

School Board member Harry Kinnan believes implementing  a 
drug-testing program in schools has merit.

He also knows it's a vast undertaking requiring plenty  of scrutiny 
and discussion.

The Manatee County school district's Safe, Drug-Free  School 
Department applied for and received a $103,000  grant from the U.S. 
Dept. of Education that would allow  the district to randomly test 
about 50 percent of  student-athletes - including cheerleaders - for 
use of  amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, benzodiazepines and 
marijuana, as well as alcohol.

But Kinnan and other school board members have  expressed some 
concerns with the program. And during  Monday night's board meeting, 
members delayed hiring a  drug-testing technician to give themselves 
time to  investigate the program.

"The grant had come to us without some of the due  diligence we 
wanted to see in advance," Kinnan said.  "The concept, we all agree, 
is wonderful. There needed  to be a plan or a timetable presented to us."

Kinnan would like to see more involvement from the  county's athletic 
directors and principals, mostly in  regards to the consequences if a 
student's test result  is positive.

The program states that the first time a test comes  back positive, 
students face a 30-day ban from  competition - but will be allowed to 
practice - and  must enter a drug-treatment program. They must also 
pass another drug test before returning to action, and  will be 
tested once a month for the remainder of the  calendar year.

For a second positive test, the student-athlete will be  banned from 
sports for one calendar year. A third test  will result in a permanent ban.

"You need to have their input," Kinnan said of the the  county's 
athletic directors, "and how they feel about  first offenses, and 
things like that."

Another board member, Jane Pfeilsticker, said those  measures are in 
conflict with the district's current  code of conduct, which states 
students found under the  influence of illegal drugs face a 10-day 
suspension  that can be lessened by the principal if the student 
agrees to enter treatment.

The grant makes no mention of a suspension from school.

"They're just suspended from sports play," she said.  "These items 
need to be reconciled."

Pfeilsticker also wants to make sure the test - which  would be 
administered first by a school nurse - doesn't  infringe on the 
student's right to privacy as it is  written in the code of conduct.

"We need to define that," she said. "And we need to  know if it goes 
outside the right to privacy."

Kinnan said the 2,500 student-athletes in the county,  as well as 
their parents, need to be properly informed  of the program before it 
is implemented. One idea he  had was a question-and-answer session, 
or have  information sent out to the county's schools.

"That would have a lot of merit to it," Kinnan said.

Pat Bernhart, the district's supervisor of student  services, has 
made it clear the program's mission is  not to punish, but to deter 
student-athletes from  getting mixed up with drugs to begin with - a 
sentiment  echoed by board members. The grant 
allows  student-athletes who fail three tests to seek  reinstatement, 
as long as they have made strides to get  themselves clean.

"They would have to show . . . 'I have changed my life,  give me 
another chance,' " Bernhart said. "This is not  a 'Gotcha!' kind of grant."

Kinnan said he agrees keeping kids away from drugs is a  worthwhile 
cause, he just wants to make sure it is done  correctly.

"I think there are a lot of steps that need to be  taken," Kinnan 
said. "Tabling the hiring of the drug  technician gives us the 
opportunity to step back and be  sure this is moved in the right way. 
Whether it takes a  semester - I can't put a timetable on it."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom