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Escambia Approves Student Drug Testing
February 18, 2011
Escambia County middle and high school students who participate in extracurricular activities, athletics or drive onto campus will be subject to random drug tests beginning next school year.
The Escambia County School Board unanimously approved the new random drug testing policy at a special meeting Thursday night. Parents will be required to sign a permission form to allow their child to be tested. Without consent from parents, students will not be allowed to participate in the activity or drive onto campus.
Several parents spoke out against the policy during the public forum, including Kathy Fellgren, parent of a 14-year old student.
“This policy bothers me a lot,” she said. “She’s an excellent student. She would be mortified to be randomly called out of class and told she had to go pee in a cup…Why are your putting on the backs of kids that are good?”
District 5 board member Bill Slayton made a motion to amend the policy to test only high school students, expressing concerns that many middle schoolers would not be comfortable or understand the testing.
Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Perry spoke out in favor of the drug testing policy, including at the middle school level. “Middle school is the time of experimentation. Middle school is the time that peers influence peers,” she said.
Slayton’s motion failed 1-4, as he cast the only vote in favor of skipping testing for middle school students.
Others expressed more technical and logistic concerns over the testing, including Susan Watson, local ACLU representative. She likened the random drug tests to “government bullying”, and also expressed concern that common medications or foods could cause false positives, potentially damaging the reputation of a middle or high school student.
Board member Gerald Boone said he supported the policy, but felt reservations about taking on what he called a parenting role. “I don’t really want to take the role of the parent. I just wish that there was more parenting out there, and there’s not in this day and time,” he said.
The school board will next review the policy and its procedures for it is implemented in August with a committee of parents, officials and students.
As the policy currently stands, students that participate in athletics, extracurricular activities or park on campus would be subject to the random urine tests. A signed parental consent form would be valid during the entire school year, not just for the duration of the athletic season or extracurricular activity period.
Students whose parents do not consent to the tests would not be allowed to participate in the activities — including any practice, tryout, rehearsal or even sit with the team, club or organization at a game or pep rally.
The drug tests will be conducted by the school health nurse or technician under the plan. If there is a positive result, the student would be required to take a follow-up drug test at a District-approved licensed laboratory within 24 hours. Failure to take the follow-up test would be considered a positive result, according to the proposed plan.
If a student refuses to participate in a random drug test, it will be considered a positive result.
A positive result would result in the student being removed from all extracurricular and athletic activities, including practices, for at least 30 days and would be suspended from driving on the school campus. The student would be referred to a District-approved drug assessment and rehabilitation program.
A student with a positive drug test result would be required to pass a second drug test before participation in future activities at the expense of their parents. They would be subject to additional random drug tests, and they would remain on probation for the rest of their school years in the Escambia County School District. The student would not be allowed to return to any leadership position — such as captain of a squad, club officer or class officer — for the remainder of the school year.
A second positive result would prohibit a student from participation in all athletics and extracurricular activities and from driving on campus for one full calendar year.
Pictured top inset: Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Perry addresses the Escambia County School Board Thursday night. Pictured middle inset: Board member Gerald Boone. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
70 Responses to “Escambia Approves Student Drug Testing”
I believe this is a great start to a new beginning for our kids and our grandkids and their kids and….. I just hope we can all see the same way. I merely desire a higher engaging life for our youngsters as we had!
You so called “notondrugs”, I pray you do not have children. If kids are not doing anything illegal then what is the problem with drug testing? It is shameful that you manipulate the system to twist it to benefit your personal needs and not the needs of the next generation. Your way of thinking is irrelevent to life and morals as they should be. Sounds to me and others that you are also making physical threats. If you are such a good and concerned parent why don’t you use your real name? That is why kids are the way they are today…..Beacuse of lazy and “everyone owes me the world” type of people like you! Take responsiblitly for yourself and teach your child to to the same and the world will be a better place!!!
You are most likely one of the parents that dont care what your child does I could care less were my place of employment was if it is at the school board, family dollar, or the sheriffs department, I will always stand behind this ruling. I have alot of my sons friends and other children telling me about their days at school and what is going on in their lives and do you know why? Cause they are looking for some adult guidness from my husband and myself they most likely have parents that dont have time for them or are hanging out not caring. I have taken many children home due to their parents never showed up after football practice or games, what losers they are not supporting these young men and women. Dont be so anal and take offense because you dont agree with something. And if you arent scared use your real name and dont hide.
Melissa, your comments are irrelevant because you work for the school board, which is the vilified entity in this situation. So clam up.
As for the rest of you it simply boils down to this: There are MANY successful, drug-free adults who will NOT stand for other adults telling them how to raise their kids, whether they’re being parents or friends, or what their children should be subjected to! Why is that so hard for you all to understand?
The comments I read on here by Melissa and others just support my opinion that THEY think they know what’s best for MY children, and THEY think MY children need this that or the other. Who are THEY? They are people who have an over-inflated idea of their own superiority.
“Real life” isn’t the military you fools. You can’t go around making rules like this and expect adults to lay down and comply. We will meet you on the field of battle and you WILL come away bloodied!
REGARDING:
“if this is teaching kids to be responsible and preparing them for the real world, don’t they random drug test ALL students, not just a select few?”
The answer is simple: They can’t do drug tests without probable cause unless they agree to be tested. They get them to agree to be tested by threatening to withhold privileges they would like to have–things like being in clubs or on teams or getting to park in the student parking lot.
The result is that all are treated as suspects and if no drugs show up in the random testing, those who pushed for it will hold it up as proof they stopped the drug use, just as they figured the fact that drug dogs found few drugs means they scared the kids into stopping using drugs in school.
Could be, but hard to prove they ever did in the first place.
One fun thing is that if some ARE found to have taken drugs, their parents will beat them senseless for getting into their stash.
David too trusting
As I see it there are alot of parents that seem sue happy. If your child has to take some perscription medication you will have a record of it no big deal. All yall are doing is teaching your children it is ok to take other peoples meds, be a parent and take them to the dr. if they are sick then there should be no worries. Everyone needs to make sure that our children are doing right, there are not enough adults standing up for the future. My child can be drug tested whenever and I would not mind paying for everyone of the test. Like I said before lets be the parents not the friends.
In the adult job world many jobs do random drug testing, often of a handful of employees at a time. If kids are not doing drugs they shouldn’t be , the worst they have to do is take a test. Otherwise, it’s no different than if they go for a sports physical and get caught doing something illegal. Does that mean we should stop having kids do sports physicals?
so tigger, why , if this is teaching kids to be responsible and preparing them for the real world, dont they random drug test ALL students, not just a select few? that doesnt seem right. talk about warm fuzzy feeling! no, this is nt a teaching moment beleive me. i have my suspicions it all boils down to lower insurance premiums for the school district!
I have seen many kids in this school system that were suspect of being on drugs and its great to see the school district doing something about it. Parents, if you were doing your job as a Parent, the school district would not feel the need to do this. If your kids do not have anything to hide, then they should not have a problem giving a urine sample.
These tests now days can be used to detect specific drugs and not show a positive test because someone has cough syrup in their system. It was wize of the board to start testing at that level. We have to stop being “warm and fuzzy” in these situations and just do the testing, hold students accountable. Real life requires when you get a job you have to drug test and when you have a accident on the job, you have to drug test…this is not going to hurt the kids, only teach them that there is a price to pay if you make a choice to do drugs.
so just say if one childs on some cough med with codeine and another child has the same thing but the doc said give some of the med to the other child and then that child gets tested and comes up positive for codiene because they took some of their siblings cough med but dont have a script, its none ot the school systems buisness what my child is taking if they are not causing a problem at school and this is a BIG invasion of privacy…… I see the BIG dollars already. Thanks.
why would they random drug test the people that drive & is involved in afterschool activites? there the ones that have to stay straight to be able to park and play sports!! If they do random drug test them, then they need to test EVERYBODY in the school system! jus saying
I no longer have a child in the school system. When I did, they were quite active in extracurricular activities. They graduate this year from a major university which they attended with a full academic scholarship. If I did still have a child in the system I would not sign the consent form because I feel they are stepping into my territory as a parent. We have nothing to hide. It just feels like a violation of rights and I would not submit to it even at the expense of not having my child involved in extracurricular activities or having the privilege of driving on campus. I do feel like there will be lawsuits arising from this new policy which will waste district money that could be spent on students, schools and personnel. Having said all that, I do believe there are drug users in school. I just don’t believe it’s the schools responsibility to drug test for them.
i have a funny feeling that somehow someway this boils down to cheaper insurance rates. it isnt about an outpouring of care on the part of the school district for the kiddos, thats for sure or they would be random testing ALL. its the only thing that makes sense.
Why are they just testing students who are involved in other activities or driving? Why not all students, just because a student rides a bus or is not involved in school activities does not mean they are drug free!!!! Since the school district seems to have so much money, why not? If the school district wants to drug test students, then test them all!!
Since school district employees are sent through rehab if they are positive for drugs 3 times, does this rule apply to students?
wonder if the school district gets some kind of break on blanket insurance premiums upon implementing this policy. bet that is the bottom line because other than that i cant see the benefit for the students.
@ Jim W. You are so right!!! And I am sorry that I did not see your comment before I posted. Thank you for posting on the “Good kids” PLEASE accept my apology and keep the positive coming. My post was meant for all the other people that are always commenting on the negative not the positive.
Parent of 2 I have to agree with you on the kids doing positive things. However you better go back and look at the response section I for one was complelled to write something about these kids doing positive things.
This can be a good thing ~ IF ~ it is done right!
If they are going to ‘random test’ then it should be done on ALL students. I have heard my child talk about what drugs they have heard others talk about that they are doing~most of these kids are NOT in sports or other extracurricular activities.
If they are going to be doing this testing, the nurse or whoever doing the test better be educated on what perscriptions can cause a positive reading and check the student’s medical card before posting that it is a positve reading! All student’s medical cards have to list all medications they are on, and the nurses should be required to be taught which ones will give a false reading BEFORE they start testing!! Yes, testing is part of the ‘grown up world’, but ALL employees are tested…not just ones on ’special committees’, or that do ‘extra projects’ for work…ALL employees are tested! If they are going to say this is a preparation for kids for when they get to the work place, then do it like a work place! Random means no one knows who will be tested next…can be anyone at the place…not just done on a select group!
They didn’t have testing when I was in school years ago, but I remember it was a lot of the ‘good’ kids that done drugs too , the ones who’s parents (and teachers) thought were ‘perfect little angels’! More now than back then, it is not ‘illegal’ drugs being used, it’s perscription drugs they are using ~ and not their own!
There needs to be a LOT of educating for the ‘testers’ before they start testing our kids, so they don’t end up labeling a possitive on a kid who is on a legitiment perscription prescribed to them by a doctor; more especially if it is known to cause a fasle possitive.
Parent of 2…could not have said it any better myself! Parents need a wake up call. Both of my children are honor roll students as well and are in various clubs and sports at school. They have no problem with being drug tested because they have absolutely nothing to hide!
I agree with the school board’s decision, I work for the school board and yes we do have random drug testing. My son plays sports and I think all students should be drug tested. We need to get back to being adults not there friends. I’m so tired of seeing students who try 110% to get an education be distracted by the ones who dont care. Yes it does start at home but alot of parents use the school system as a babysitter and could care less if they pass or fail. Lets stand up and take back control so the kids can have a future. If they fail a drug test put them in an alternative school, if we failed one we would be discharge from work.
HI Mz. Perry from Daniel!! I dont know weather to agree w/this or not…Back in My day,,every1 who drove to school ..probably wouldnt be allowed to for very long. Today’s world..there are very dangerous drugs out there and thats why I do agree!! But why not random test every student? just cuz the dont paly sports or drive there are still students doing drugs!!
The school board members who approved these tests for our children are not randomly tested.
I say..let’s test them and publicize the results for all the world to see. I for one want to know what types of drugs my school board members are taking.
This is absolutely the best thing they could do! If they don’t have anything to hide, they should not object to the testing! I have been randomly tested several times and was not offended at all.
MY KIDS GET FREE LUNCH AND I CAN ASSURE U THEY ARE NOT ON DRUGS !!!! THEY GET FREE LUNCH BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS HAVE LOW INCOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GUESS BEFORE LONG WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW JUST HOW MUCH THAT INCOME IS SO THE KIDS CAN BE MADE FUN OF LIKE THEY WILL BE FOR ALL THESE FALSE POSITIVES THAT REST ASSURED WILL HAPPEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!1
OK, I CAN NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE GOING TO INVADE OUR PRIVACY LIKE THIS, THERE IS A LAW CALLED HIPPA !!!! THESE CHILDREN ARE OUR RESPONSABILITY TILL THEY ARE 18 AND WHAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR SYSTEM IS NOBODY ELSE’S BUISNESS SO IF MY CHILD IS A NERVE MED BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HORRIFIC THAT HAPPENED IN THEIR LIFE, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT BECOMES EVERYONES BUISNESS AFTER IS SHOWS UP IN THEIR URINE, OUR CHILDRENS BODILY FLUID IN A CUP !!!! UNBELIEVABLE…. NEXT THING U KNOW WE WILL ALL BE REQUIRED TO GET THAT CHIP IMPLANTED IN US AND THERE WE GO WITH THE MARK OF THE BEAST…… GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER, THINGS THAT MAKE U GO HMMMMM……………………..
This is SAD!!!! Not one comment on the articles about FFA, students doing good, etc. I decided to sit down and talk to my two children which attend EWMS and NHS (they are honor roll kids too). I asked them how they felt about this and was it really needed. Boy did I get an ear full. Both of my kids told me that the same parents that are fussing about this (their own kids are bragging about it to their friends) these are the kids that are doing all kids of stuff. They told me about some of the most elite kids that have their parents their parents fooled!! Wake up parents. I told both of mine I will sign the paper and they will submit a test and it had better be negative or they will not have to worry about the school district but they better worry about MAMA!!
Where is the money going to come from for all of this drug testing? How many random tests will be administered on any given day throughout the county? What if NOt ONE parent signs the consent form? What then? Are they willing to do away with ALL sports, band, cheerleading, student parking, etc……???
Again, where will the money come from??? If they have money for this, then certainly there should be no personnel layoffs.
Briana,
I’m not “hiding behind a fake name”. I am protecting my children.
This is going to cost the school board millions!!! It’s going to cause children’s medical information, covered by federal mandate in the HIPAA laws, to be broadcast for others to see. Legally prescribed medications will show and then the whole school will know your child is taking medication for whatever condition. It’s not their business to invade my child’s privacy that way. This is stupid. We are talking about my child’s body, the body I am responsible for until he/she turns 18, NOT the school. My kids will NOT take these tests and I’m pretty darned sure that if they attempt to force it, we’re going to be coming into a large sum of money. Woohoo!!!!!
All parents should have their children refuse to take the tests. Then there will be no more sports, band or other activites. Then we can see how long this policy stays in effect. I do not pay taxes so that the school can police my children. I pay taxes so the school can provide an education for my children. Let the parents police their children and hold the parents responsible for their children’s actions. That’s the way you take care of the problems in school. That’s the American way folks. Too much government is a bad thing.
My concern about testing is stepping on your Constitutional rights. Then again they are uner 18 as a general rule so they can probably doi it. The 18 year olds may be a different story. I’m all for getting rid of drugs don’t get me wrong but I think there is a fine line there to be dealt with. On the other hand as some have pointed out there are some employers who require testing. That is reality.
So where is the “funding” coming from for this drug testing? On a daily basis the superintendent talks about what a budget crisis we are facing and the cutbacks our district will need to make. Quite confusing, but oh well something else for taxpayers to deal with.
I think they need to drug test the ones that aren’t involved in sports. That is where most of the drug use is. the kids involved in sports are less likely to be hanging on street corners doing drugs. Im so glad i don’t have to deal with this school system. Can’t keep schools open or pay the teachers enough but they can fund drug testing. Don’t get it
I believe that we shouldn’t have to ‘pee in a cup’. It will make some students uncomfortable. They should just take a hair or a blood test. It would be embarrassing if a student is tested positive and they really aren’t doing any drugs. If there is a student that is a true drug addict and involved in a sport or club and they are tested and come out positive, it doesn’t mean it will teach every student a lesson and it might not keep them from going off and continuing to do drugs. So what I am trying to say is, what is the point exactly of this? I do not think this should be done. Just saying……..
hahaa!…oops…
Mrs. Perry is a very good principal. She cares about us sometimes more than our parents do. Mrs. Perry always makes us students feel like we matter. And to the person that said she bounced around she is the ONLY prinicpal I have ever had to be in the halls and not sitting in her office, she talks to us not ignores us, she loves us. And I used my real name and didn’t hide behind a fake name. Yes I am an 8th grader and I am active. This drug test will affect me but I have nothing to hide so I say I am glad they finally decided to get rid of the ones who claim to be “so good and pure.” Parents you would be shocked at the “good” kids using drugs out of YOUR own medicine cabnet. Adults are always telling us to take responsibility okay let us with the drug testing. Just Sayin’
They didn’t find many drugs in the middle school because the drugs the dogs sniff out are the ones that are hard for middle school kids to get. Most of them are abusing mom and dads prescription drugs oh and grandma’s too. Its there trust me I hear about it all the time.
I wonder if life would be diferent for Patrick Gonzalez if he had been tested (and held accountable) in his early years……just a thought
Read the story posted here on NorthEscambia.com yesterda y(Feb. 17) titled…
“Little Found During Daily Drug Dog Searches In Escambia Schools”.
They ran drug sniffing dogs through the middle and high schools 228 times this school year and only had 17 hits; most were minor issues.
Do we really need to fund this type of thing with such low evidence of drugs in our schools? Couldn’t this money be used for more important educational needs?
really: thanks, and that’s whitepunkNOTondope.
I think this is good. If it keeps one kid from doing something stupid while on drugs or killing an innocent person while driving on drugs it’s definitely worth it.
Seems some parents want to keep their head in the sand.
I have to be randomly tested to keep my job. Prepare them for the real world.
@horrific, yes, the parent’s should talk to their kids…i was suggesting that if the school felt they needed to become involved in some way, then they should use their skills as TEACHERS and EDUCATE them. not put them on trial…
i agree 100% with whitepunkondope….well said.
wow… nice to know the school board and our teachers think we are all stoners hahahaha
This is NOT about drugs.
It’s about OUR LOCAL Community BECOMING A POLICE STATE.
This violates everything I hold dear about AMERICA. I say this action is UN-AMERICAN and should NOT BE TOLERATED BY ANY PARENT, drug user or not!!!
We are NOT all in the military and we do NOT all work for companies that conduct random drug testing. I’M SORRY FOR YOU IF YOU ARE.
But this steps over my line of freedom and I will not let this happen without a fight.
How can this be permited when our 4 th amendment assure’s us that we have a reasonable amount of privacy?
Are the Teachers, School Support, School Bus drivers, School Administration and School Board and their support going to be randomly tested also? You would be supprized at what you would find. Just saying……
I am the parent of a high schooler. he will be a sr. next year, drives to school and I have no problem what so ever with drug testing. I support the school boards decision on it.
They should test them all. I’m sure teachers are already randomly tested , if not they should be.
I am absolutely 1000% opposed to this plan. It smells of Rick Scott stench again. Is his company one of those on the shortlist to do the testing ? This is a violation of your children’s civil rights. Good grief isn’t there enough other things to do with time,energy and money these days? Your kid can’t bow his head and pray in school, but you are going to allow his/her privacy to be violated in this fashion.? Stand up for your rights people ! Don’t let your kids be violated like this. Fascists
What about the teachers? Most of them need one.
Can you spell “law suits”. Drugs should handled by parents, the schools keep fussing about parental responsibility but the school wants to control everything, so if the the school is to take on this responsibility they will have to answer for the mistakes made inforcing it. I am so glad that all of my kids are out of public schools.
JUDY
I think I know why they don’t test all the kids. MAYBE I am WRONG.
Ok there would be a first! lol
School is mandatory, therefore, they can’t force them to test. However,
after school activities are VOLUNTARY and they CAN force them
to TEST or not be eligible..Then it is THEIR CHOICE.
if youre a “concerned parent” you should be welcoming this type of effort to help keep your teenager drugfree…i cant understand parents who would complain about this method…unless you DONT want your kids to get help early on…however, i do believe that the focus should NOT be on just the kids who are fortunate enough to be able to participate in extra curricular activities or drive a car to school…by just focusing on that group of kids ONLY, the school board is dropping the ball on the rest of the school population..they, too, should be afforded the same opportunity for redirection and reeducation against drug use/possession…meaning: the kids on the “fringe” (for lack of a better word), whos families may not be able to afford extracurricular activities, a car for the teen or students that just lack motivation to participate (for whatever reason) SHOULD NOT BE EXCLUDED from the idea that they, too, can be subject to the random testing..if the program is touted as “random”, then every kid in the school system would be faced with the “possibility” that “today MIGHT be my day for a random drug test”….there wouldnt have to be any increase in the amount of random testing..just open the pool up so that ALL students feel the potential for a random test being done on them.
I call on all Escambia county school students to REFUSE TO TAKE THE TEST on the grounds of principle. You have voices and you can be heard. YOU DON’T HAVE TO AGREE WITH, OR LIKE EVERYTHING AN ADULT TRIES TO PUT ON YOU.
The lawsuits are already being prepared, and they are gonna hit the conservative baptist militaristic school board members so fast they won’t know which way to pray to Jesus.
If a parent is concerned about their child doing drugs, it’s up to the parent to intervene. It is NOT IN ANY WAY the school system’s place or responsibility to test students for drug use. i WANT TO SEE A MAJOR REVOLT AGAINST THIS!
I have been taking random drug test for years, in order to keep my job. Most employers now require random drug testing as a condition of employment. A drug free school/workplace should start with random testing for the teachers and all employees.
I agree with other posters who suggest this “random” drug testing plan is too selective. If the school board truly believes random drug testing will help solve the problem of drugs in schools, they should randomly test the entire school population. Athletes and student drivers certainly aren’t the only groups using drugs. In fact, it’s more likely (as others stated) that far more drug users aren’t motivated enough to be involved in any extra school activities and under the proposed policy, they will slip under the drug testing radar. I also agree with the suggestion that students who test positive should be charged for the cost of the drug testing. Sometimes the only way to get a person’s attention is through his wallet.
@really
Why don’t PARENTS teach a class at home about DRUGS??????
This whole issue is because parents are the last to know or don’t want
to know.
If you think the school WANTS to be parents you must be walking around
with blinders on.
RE-READ the posts from NEIGHBOR and CONCERNED and re-think
this thing. Some of us are really sick of parents who are so afraid of
finding out who the drug problem kids are in town.
SOMEBOADY HAS TO TAKE A STAND ON KIDS AND DRUGS.
Drug tests wont test for the most abused drugs (alcohol & nicotene) which will permit this abuse to continue unchecked.
Only the kids with the ambition to do more than JUST attend classes will be tested, meanwhile the kids with little or no ambition who are most likely engaged in drug use will not be tested.
Our child’s medical history now becomes public knowledge because many presciption meds will cause positive test results. This opens the door for HIPPA violations when this information isn’t properly safeguarded.
This opens the door for our children to be sexually exploited by school nurses or others who administer these tests.
The chain of custody paperwork for urine samples is a nightmare, which is why most business’ rely on companies who specialize in this type of work.
This will most definitely open the door for many lawsuits.
hmmm….i see a lot of students not participating in activiites now…and i see more homeschooling in the future.
this ruling is ridiculous. it is a form of parenting, and they are NOT the parents as much as they’d like to be. they are there for educational purposes…if they were so concerned, why not just open a ‘required’ class specifically about the dangers of drugs…TEACH them the dangers of each drug so that they are more aware, but let us parents handle it. this class would not only make the student aware, but perhaps open a discussion with the parent and will allow them to be more involved. this is not the school’s responsibility, but i feel that this would do more good than random testing. i can see it now…the students in middle school, whom mrs. perry said were in the stages of experimentation, aren’t going to be able to experiment, and may go to extreems to do so, whereas they wouldn’t have before. i am flabbergasted by this! at the end of they day, they are just drugs! if you educate your child on drugs, they are more apt to avoid them. remember folks, marijuana, cocaine, herion, pills…these are not the only drugs out there. food is a drug that kills too…going to take that away? no, of course not…doesn’t make sense. and that’s how i see drugs…in excess, they are harmful.
Why not test all students randomly!! If it is important to test those involved in sports or other activiities then we must test them all!!
I think getting rid of the drug problem is a priority for our school system and they have to start somewhere. They should come up with a plan to test the other students as well. Weed out the dealers ( and if you think they aren’t dealing at school you are under a rock) and users so they can focus on the education the responsible students deserve.
Maybe the ones that test positive should have to pay back the cost of the first test as well as the second and they should have a board on the wall listing the users.
Alittle shame now might save them from alot of shame later and it IS NOT going to kill them to take responsibility for their own actions.
to the parent of the “good” child….they test good students too, because “good” students do drugs too, not just the bad kids. There are soooo many good upstanding citizens in every community that have great jobs and good families. They come from good backgrounds and have college educations. Drugs don’t just pick out bad people…they can affect all walks of life…where u been?????? I would rather have known my child had a problem than to wait for it to come out to me if the child were in a wreck or fight etc after taking something they shouldn’t have.
@Drugfree, you might not believe it, but there are a lot of druggies that their parents have to pay for their lunches! Not all druggies are getting free lunches.
Fantastic, this is the best thing that the school board has ever done.
It is funny how they never have money, but they seem to always find a way to waste it.Stop trying to be a parent and do the job you all were elected to do..
Concerned parent…
The drug testing fees should be picked-up by the parents of those who want to participate in the subject activities. Parking primits for campus just went up; playing ball, now there’s a registration fee like little league; and of course the dues for clubs…. If you want to play, you’ve got to pay – money problem solved.
You wonder why teachers can’t get a pay raise. This is just another waste of tax payers money. Our school system is filled with fiscal waste. I guess they are right when they say “that our schools will be raising our children for us.”
If you have nothing to hide, where is the issue. Most employers and any branch of the military do drug screens.
“Do you want a nickel or dime bag (oops) to go with those fries” or “Sorry Sarg but were gonna need another grenade safety trainer”
Had we had drug screens in my high school years ago, we would have had to done away with the football team completely.
What if they lost their free lunch “privilege” also?. That will definitely get the parents attention.
As much as Nancy has bounced around, I have to wonder what her problem is. Besides that she doesn’t see the idiocy of this policy.
Lawsuits, here we come!!!
Congrats, Mike and others, you decided to give away money we didn’t have. Smart move.