Current Conditions
39°F - CLEAR
(1088) (632) (92) (80) (70) (14) (7) (6) (4) (4) (3)
The district formed a drug and alcohol task force to study the issue and to make recommendations to the board. Its suggestions included the institution of random drug testing for students in grades six through 12 who:
• Participate in any extracurricular or cocurricular activities or a district sport.
• Apply for a parking permit.
• Are enrolled in the drug-testing program by their parents.
The committee also recommended pre-employment drug screening and drug education for students and parents.
Two mothers of children who will begin sixth grade in the fall spoke out against testing middle school students during a May 18 meeting.
"My concern is having my sixth-grader testing without my knowledge," one said.
After some discussion, the board directed that the task force should draft a policy that limits testing to grades nine through 12.
School board member Scott Riekers, who also is chairman of the task force, said several community members have said they are against testing middle school students and that statistics from schools with a policy showed nearly all positive tests came from grades nine through 12.
Still, if a policy were to be implemented, not all high school students would be subject to random testing. Legally, the district could randomly test only students in sports or other extracurricular activities, because participation in those programs are privileges, not rights.
The proposed policy does include a provision for testing students suspected of using drugs.
Parent Pat Pontz wondered why the proposed policy does not have an opt-out provision. She said the policy "seeks to usurp the rights and responsibilities of parents."
She also pointed to a statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics that said it has not been proven that drug use decreases with drug testing.
Riekers said the 2007 Pennsylvania Youth Survey Report showed that drug use in Solanco School District decreased after it implemented a random drug testing program.
Board members differed in their opinions about the consequences of failed tests.
The task force recommended that students found positive for drug use would have two choices on a first offense.
If a student enrolled in the student assistance program, he or she would be allowed to participate in practices but not in games or events for 30 calendar days. Student assistance programs include intervention programs matched to the student's needs. Students who did not enroll in the program would be completely excluded from their sport or activity for 60 calendar days.
A second offense, under the recommendations, would exclude a student from extracurriculars and athletics for a year. Upon a third offense, a student would be given a three-year exclusion.
Board president James Byrnes said if students are excluded from an extracurricular activity altogether, they would have more time on their hands to be further tempted by whatever they are indulging in.
Board member John Hults said he felt that 30 school days of consequences would have more "sting" than 30 calendar days. Riekers said task force research indicated that keeping track of consequences should be kept easy. Details, such as using school days or calendar days, will be discussed at a future meeting.
Should random drug testing be approved, board member Melissa Herr said, parents should be notified when their children are tested.
Board members informally indicated they would support keeping the following recommendations in a draft proposal for continued discussion: pre-employment screening, drug education for parents during back-to-school nights and the creation of a school resource officer position.
