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Drug testing in county schools |
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Tuesday, 11 August 2009 |
By Jenny Huggins
News Reporter
This school year in addition to the mountain of paperwork required to enroll a student in classes a new form will be added to the stack for students in some LeFlore County schools.
There are now four of the 17 LeFlore County Schools who are conducting drug testing for students.
Bokoshe and Howe schools will join Leflore and Wister in the random testing process.
The tests, however, are not mandatory for all students. Only those students who are or will be involved in any kind of extracurricular activities including all sports, academic team, band, choir, science fair, FCCLA, FCS, etc. The students must submit to the tests before participation.
Leflore has been participating in the testing for four years while Wister's policy has been in affect for more than six years.
The policy at Bokoshe states that before participation in any judged event the participant and their parents must sign a form stating that they are subject to a drug test before the event. Also, students are chosen at random to be tested throughout the duration of the activity. If a violation has occurred the parents are notified and the child's test will be retested at another testing center.
Howe's policy states that extracurricular activities are a privilege the students may or may not participate in, therefore the student's rights are not being violated by agreeing to the testing.
As is the case with Bokoshe, Howe students and parents must sign a release stating that they understand that their child must provide a urine sample as part of a pre-activity physical and that students will be chosen at random to provide a sample.
The process is non-intrusive, an advisor of the same sex as the child will accompany them to the restroom and the child will provide a sample behind a closed stall door. The policy states that if the faculty notices sounds that are not consistent with that of regular urination then the test must be voided and preformed at a different time.
Wister's policy states that the intent of drug testing is to encourage children to refrain from using or possessing illegal drugs. Wister's policy does not differ from the others. A signed consent must be attained from the student and parent stating that they understand a sample must be collected before any participation in the activity.
Administrators stated that drug testing is not intended to punish students. It is intended to prevent the use of illegal or performance enhancing drugs.
The school also provides information on the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol on the body and why the substances should not be used.
As is the case with all public school policies, copies of the drug testing policy are available at each respective school. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 August 2009 )
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