Parents ask questions about drug testing policy
About 25 patrons braved bitter cold and icy streets Wednesday evening to attend an informational meeting to learn about the random drug testing policy for students involved in extra-curricular activities at Marion High School and Marion Middle School.
Marion-Florence USD 408 superintendent of schools Gerry Henderson and Tim Harris of The Consortium, Inc., were present to explain the policy and answer questions. The Consortium is the third-party administrator of the drug testing system.
High school principal Ken Arnhold and activities director and middle school principal Tod Gordon also were on hand to answer questions.
"The board of education has been discussing this issue for two years," said Henderson. "It's an issue people care about."
He added that schools are doing a better job of educating people about illegal substances. Prevention and treatment for substance abuse also is better in this community than others.
"However, there was still a piece missing," Henderson went on. The system lacked enforcement.
"The purpose of the policy is to help young people make better choices," Henderson said. "The policy does not take the place of parents and it won't stop keggers on weekends," he added.
The primary goal of the policy is to discourage the use of illegal substances or the abuse of legal substances. The policy is directed at students, grades seven through 12, who choose to participate in extra-curricular activities.
It does, however, allow parents or guardians of students not participating in extra-curricular activities to voluntarily place the names of their children in the random testing pool. Any of these students testing positive will not be subject punishment through the school district. Everyone in the pool will remain there for one entire school year.
The policy defines illegal substances as "tobacco, alcohol, and any drug deemed illegal to sell, possess, use, distribute, or purchase by either federal or Kansas law
"Why only students involved in extra-curricular activities?" one patron asked.
Henderson explained that state and federal courts prohibit testing all students as an infringement of their civil rights.
Parents and middle and high school students in the district participating in extra-curricular activities will have to sign a consent form agreeing to undergo testing.
Any student who refuses to submit to a drug test will be ineligible to participate in any extra-curricular activity for 18 consecutive school weeks.
"What if a parent refuses to sign?" asked a parent. "My kid is here to learn, not play sports," he said.
"Then your child won't be participating (in extra-curricular activities)," Henderson told him.
Extra-curricular activities are not limited to sports. The policy defines extra-curricular activities as those that "normally take place outside the regular academic school day and include but are not limited to those activities sponsored by the Kansas State High School Activities Association." (See examples in box.)
Some parents voiced concerns about students staying out of extra-curricular activities to avoid being tested.
Tim Harris of The Consortium, Inc. said when the Caldwell district began testing, 27 percent tested positive at the beginning of the semester. By the second semester, there were more students involved in extra-curricular activities and the rate was down to seven or eight percent positive.
"The message got out. It was unpopular to do drugs," Harris said.
How it works
Harris outlined the testing procedure. The district will provide students' names or social security numbers. Names of students to be tested will be randomly selected by computer.
The policy allows for urine specimens, hair samples, or breath samples to be taken.
Janice Waner, the school district's nurse, will monitor testing. She has undergone extensive training with The Consortium and will follow rules to ensure the personal and private rights of the students are enforced.
After a urine specimen has been obtained, the nurse will divide the specimen into two samples. The student will initial each sample and sign a chain of custody form. Samples are placed in tamper-proof bags and sent to a certified laboratory for testing.
The laboratory will do a nine-panel test in addition to testing for alcohol and nicotine.
If the initial test is positive, the specimen is subjected to more comprehensive testing for confirmation.
In the event of a positive result, The Consortium will contact the parent or guardian and obtain information about medication which might have created a positive test result.
A medical review officer will confirm the positive result and contact the parent/guardian, then the principal. The principal will schedule a conference with the parents, student, and activity sponsor or coach. The principal will ask for an explanation of the positive result.
Burden of proof to the contrary will be the responsibility of the student. An appeals process is available.
Test results are returned within five days. Negative test results will be mailed to the parent/guardian and student.
Consequences
The first offense for a student participating in extra-curricular activities who tests positive is suspension from participation in all in-season or off-season activities for 10 percent of the varsity competitions. Students are required to participate in practice sessions and complete tasks assigned by the sponsor or coach.
Second offenses call for suspension of participation in 50 percent of all activities.
Following a third offense the student will be suspended from participation for the remainder of the student's enrollment in the school district.
Consent forms will be sent home soon, Henderson said. A date for the first testing has not been determined.
At the conclusion of the 30-minute meeting which lasted more than an hour, Jeff Cady asked a final question: "Is it possible to turn this into a positive message? If 1,000 students are tested and there are 1,000 negative results — let's accent that positive."
Assemblies will be held Thursday afternoon for high school and middle school students. The policy will be reviewed and Tim Harris of The Consortium will be on hand to explain the testing procedure and field questions from students.
High school students will meet at 12:30 p.m. in the high school gym. Middle school students will meet at 2 p.m.
Parents and patrons are urged to attend either assembly but the scheduled time will be used to answer questions from students.
Harris and USD 408 administration will answer questions from parents or other patrons following the assemblies.
