TEACHERS UNIONS OBJECT TO KANAWHA'S PROPOSED DRUG POLICY

Leaders of West Virginia teachers unions object to Kanawha County's
proposed drug-testing policy that would require teachers to be
screened but not officials at the board's central office.

The board of education was to consider the proposal at a meeting today.

"We do have some concerns about a policy that doesn't include
everybody," said Judy Hale, president of the state chapter of the
American Federation of Teachers.

The policy would exempt upper-level administrators and board members,
while requiring principals, teachers and school service personnel to
undergo tests.

The policy calls for employees deemed to be in "safety sensitive"
positions to be tested.

Charles Delauder, president of the West Virginia Education
Association, said excluding central office administrators simply is wrong.

"I have a problem with that," he said.

"If you're going to require drug testing for classroom teachers, then
you should require it of all administrators.

"They have access to the buildings, just as much access to the children."

Hale agreed, "Not everybody is involved. Not everybody is held to the
same level of accountability."

According to the proposed guidelines, safety sensitive positions
include principals, assistant principals, guidance counselors,
teachers, mechanics, carpenters, cooks, custodians, electricians,
locksmiths and machinists, among others.

School board lawyer Jim Withrow the policy would subject current
employees and new hires to random testing.

In October, school officials began discussing revisions to the
current drug-testing policy.

The decision came soon after Pratt Elementary School Principal David
Anderson, 42, was arrested and charged with cocaine possession.

"This is an overreaction to the situation that occurred and, to my
knowledge, is still not resolved," Delauder said.

He said the union stands firm in its opposition to drug testing teachers.

The money spent on testing could be better used, he said.

"Use the dollars they are going to spend on that and spend it to
improve education in Kanawha County," Delauder said. "Spend it to
improve teachers' salaries."

Drug testing for all 3,700 school employees could cost almost
$200,000. During the 2005-2006 school year, the county spent about
$12,600 to test 250 school bus drivers and mechanics.

The proposed policy will be at the discussion stage at today's board
meeting. Board members may suggest changes but will not vote it up or
down for at least a month.

Under the current policy, only school bus drivers are drug tested.
Other school employees can be tested if there is suspicion of abuse.