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Lebanon Considers School Drug Testing
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1103/a02.html
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Tue, 03 Aug 2004
Source: Albany Democrat-Herald (OR)
Copyright: 2004 Lee Enterprises
Contact: http://www.mvonline.com/support/contact/DHedletters.php
Website: http://www.democratherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/7
Author: Jennifer Moody
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm
(Drug Testing)
LEBANON CONSIDERS SCHOOL DRUG TESTING
LEBANON - School board members said Monday they want more information on
costs before they decide whether the Lebanon Community School District
should begin student drug testing.
The discussion took place during second reading of two policies, one
that would require drug tests for all students before allowing them to
join a sports team, and another that would require a test before
participating in any district-sponsored club or organization.
Board members said they leaned instead toward random testing, and asked
district officials to look into how much such tests cost.
Assistant Superintendent Steve Williams said after the meeting the
district will likely look at a range of costs, including whether the
tests are for one drug or many. Reports are expected at the
board's Aug. 16 meeting.
Superintendent Jim Robinson said more than half the student population
at Lebanon High School, which is about 1,300, is involved in at least
one extracurricular activity.
Margaret Peterson of the Oregon School Board Association said OSBA sent
out the sample drug policies after a 2002 Supreme Court decision
expanded school testing rights to include extracurricular activities.
As far as she knows, she said, very few districts in the state have
adopted them.
"The question is, is this an effective tool for dealing with a
serious problem?" asked Tom McHill, Lebanon's board chairman.
"Are we proposing to take this step based on the information we
have now, and make that kind of commitment?"
Board member William Barish, a family physician, said he was concerned a
pre-sports test wouldn't be an effective deterrent.
"To me, that's an idiot test. If you are dumb enough to take
drugs right before a drug test ... " he said, trailing off
and shaking his head.
Sherrie Sprenger said she agrees with the idea of drug tests and would
support not only pre-tests but random followups. However, she
said, that might be more than the district can afford, so she proposed
pulling the policies until cost research is done.
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