Parents challenge school district drug testing policy

Friday, August 7, 2009

Parents met with school officials Wednesday evening to help draft a new policy for drug testing students who participate in any activities in the high school and some in middle school. Superintendent David Stephens said he appreciated all the help the group was providing.

"I want to thank you all for taking the time to come here and provide your input into this policy," Stephens said. "It is an important subject and one that we should approach carefully."

The draft policy sets out the reason the R-5 Board of Education chose to initiate it. "The Nevada R-5 Board of Education, in an effort to protect the health and safety of its students from illegal drug use and abuse or injuries resulting from the use of drugs, thereby setting an example for all students of the Nevada R-5 School District, adopts the following policy for drug testing of students participating in extracurricular and/or co-curricular activities."

Stephens said the policy wasn't meant to be a punishment so much as an inducement to good, safe, behavior.

"Our role is not to keep kids out of activities, it is to make sure they're safe," Stephens said. "We want kids to participate in as many activities as possible."

Stephens said the wording of the policy was important.

"You have to be very careful of what you put in the policy because what you put in there directs how the district will act," Stephens said. "You can put too much into a policy so that it hurts you instead of helping you." Several people made suggestions and some questioned why the policy was worded a certain way. Other questions revolved around summer vacation and whether that time counted toward completing a punishment or whether it was only 'academic' time that counted.

The consequence of refusing a test also was questioned. Several people pointed out that a student, facing a test they may not pass, might opt for refusing a test if the penalties for such refusal weren't as stringent as a positive test result.

"They might decide that it's better to take the lighter punishment instead of facing what would happen if they failed the test," one parent said.

The policy, as it is now worded, is not the final product. In fact Stephens said the district would probably amend the policy using experience gained during the first year to guide such changes.

"This is going to be a very fluid policy," Stephens said. "We're going to attempt to put it into effect this year and see what works and what doesn't and make changes as needed."

Stephens said the policy, with the suggestions made during the meeting, would be forwarded to the district's attorney for his opinion and then on to the board during its regular monthly meeting.

"We need to get this to the district's attorney so he can look it over and if its OK he'll say, 'This is sound.' And we can go forward with it. Our next meeting is next week so its possible we can implement it this year."

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