KENNEDALE TRUSTEES TO LOOK AT STUDENT DRUG TESTING

KENNEDALE - The school board Monday is scheduled to look at creating a
mandatory drug-testing policy for athletes or for all students, citing
worries about a growing drug problem in the Fort Worth-Dallas area.

Athletic Director Richard Barrett began investigating the issue at the
board's request a month ago and will present his findings at a special
meeting at 6 p.m. in the administration building, 120 W. Mansfield
Highway. Barrett, who was hired in April, oversaw a random
drug-testing program for athletes when he worked for the Godley school
district.

Trustee Roy Boenig first suggested the measure in June.

"Just from talking to different parents, there is a lot of concern out
there," Boenig said, adding that he believes the problem in Kennedale
is no worse than in any other school district.

Mandatory drug testing, however, is fraught with legal
questions.

In December a U.S. district judge struck down the Tulia school
district's random drug-testing program for students in extracurricular
activities. That case is being appealed to the 5th Circuit Court of
Appeals.

The current benchmark is a 1995 Supreme Court case that established,
according to lower court interpretations, that schools must be able to
prove a serious drug problem among their students to justify a
mandatory testing program.

Kennedale could find it difficult to navigate that court standard if
the drug problem in the district is typical.

The potential for litigation is "definitely a concern," Trustee Scott
King said. "We want to do everything by the book. We're just trying to
improve things."

King said he sees the benefit of a drug-testing program as a weapon
students can use against peer pressure.

"It would give them a way out," he said.

Kennedale would not be alone. State officials estimate that 150
districts have mandatory drug-testing programs, including the Azle,
Aledo, Joshua and Burleson school districts.

Trustees said it may be difficult to reach a decision Monday because
there are many details to work out, such as whether to test only
athletes or also test students in extracurricular activities. Trustees
would have to decide whether to test only high school students or also
junior high students.

Also at the meeting, the board is scheduled to conduct its first work
session on the 2001-02 school budget. The district started its $15.34
million budget last year with a projected $950,000 deficit caused
mostly by an overprojection of attendance-based state funding. Among
Superintendent Gary Dugger's budget-tightening measures was the firing
of seven administrators.

Trustee Joe Alviar said he's hoping for good news on the
budget.

"Gary's been working hard to try to get us back in the black," he
said.