CONWAY SCHOOLS DELAY DRUG POLICY

Directors Agree To Wait In Hopes Of Supreme Court Making Ruling

After a month of deliberation on the district's drug testing policy, the
Conway School District's Board of Education decided Tuesday that no action
would be the best action.

The board moved unanimously to delay the district's recently adopted policy
of random drug testing until December's semester change, hoping a legal
clarification of the issue would come about in the meantime. The policy,
which calls for the random drug testing of all 7th-grade through 12th-grade
students enrolled in extracurricular activities, has incurred the
opposition of some parents, who have claimed the policy represents a breach
of privacy. Heading up the opposition has been Bruce Plopper, a journalism
professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who has children
attending Conway schools. Plopper has told the board that any action on the
drug testing policy would be premature due to a pending Supreme Court case
to determine the legality of policies similar to Conway's. The high court
is set to decide in October whether to hear a case involving an Oklahoma
school district that has implemented a similar policy. If the case is
heard, the decision is expected to set a precedent for the legality of this
type of policy. The Vilonia and Greenbrier districts have similar policies.
The looming legal decision was the chief motivation in the board's move to
delay the policy, which was set to take effect at the beginning of the
2001-2002 academic year.

"We have to look at the legalities, or we would not be performing our duty
correctly," said board member Lena Hancock.

Mrs. Hancock's sentiments were backed up by board president Dr. Terry
Fiddler, who said the district must take steps to determine the future
legality of the policy.

"There's always the opportunity for a legal challenge," said Fiddler.
Fiddler also joined the rest of the board in appealing for a larger dose of
public input on the issue. Several board members said they have received
scant response from district parents on the issue, making it more difficult
to formulate a positive course of action.

Following the decision, Plopper was pleased with the board's action. "I
think the board has shown some vision," said Plopper, who added he hopes
the Supreme Court will render a decision on the Oklahoma case before the
December semester change.

While the court will decide whether to hear the case in October, the actual
case may not be presented until months after December. With no concrete
timeline for the court to render a decision, Fiddler said the board has no
plans on how to advance past December if a decision is not reached. Conway
Superintendent Steve Fulmer said the district will fall back to its regular
discipline policy. He added that while the Supreme Court's decision may
change the course of the district's approach to testing, the original
policy has yet to be deemed illegal.

"Right now, drug testing of students is not illegal," said Fulmer. In other
business: The board recognized Conway High School West graduate Paulomi
Mehta, who was recently selected as a Presidential Scholar.

Hired the following personnel: Michelle Hames, Spanish teacher, CHS East,
temporary position; Jo Ann Stevens, English teacher, CHS West, temporary
position; Don Cole, auto body instructor, CHS West, 185-day contract;
Carrie Farris, Kindergarten teacher, Ellen Smith, temporary position;
Angela Smith, Debbie Hendrix, Amanda Cates, Joan Butcher, Myra Jackson,
Kathy Marz, Robin Byers and Carolyn Bridgman, food service; Everette
Lybarger, Brenda Brewer and Phillip Bell, bus drivers; and Steven Craven
and Charles Elrod, custodian, part time.

Hired the following substitute teachers: Marcella Archer, Kristin
Barrentine, Sarah Cantrell, Martha Campbell, Janet Conley, Kerry Davis,
Jennifer Drasler, Carrie Farris, Monica Harken, Sheri Kidd, Kelly Lockhart,
William McGehee, Brian O'Connell, Renee Thrash, Amanda Terpening and Amy
Wrublesky. Hired the following substitute paraprofessionals and
secretaries: Martha Campbell, Eva Cooper, Jennifer Drasler, Monica Harken,
La Thresa Leach. (Staff writer Doug Crise can be reached at 505-1260 or by
e-mail at dcrise@thecabin.net)