HALL SCHOOLS: DRUG TESTING MAY BE REQUIRED OF ALL STUDENT DRIVERS

Program Could Begin This Fall

The Hall County Board of Education is looking at expanding mandatory,
random drug testing to include student drivers as early as the fall.

Superintendent Will Schofield recommended the measure Monday
night.

"We don't have a greater safety issue than people under the influence
driving vehicles," he said in an interview earlier in the day.

The program now involves only student athletes, with costs covered by
gate receipts as part of athletic budgets. The expanded move could be
covered by student parking fees now in place.

Schofield said the district would set up a public meeting on the
change.

"After the meeting, we would adopt the policy and procedures," he
added.

Last year, school officials began exploring the change, possibly to
also affect middle and high school students in extracurricular programs.

"Those would be next steps," Schofield said. "One of the challenges
is you can't use your general fund money to test (for drugs)."

At least one student, 16-year-old Michael Mullins of North Hall High
School, agrees with the possible change.

"I think it would be a good idea," he said. "Personally, I don't want
somebody who is on drugs hurting somebody else the time they are on
the road."

Mullins, a junior who has been driving to school since this fall,
added, however, that he doesn't think the policy should necessarily
be expanded to cover students in other extracurricular programs.

"I don't think people in like band and chorus are as likely to test
positive for drugs," said Mullins, a band member.

Under the current policy, an athlete who tests positive for the first
time will be banned for 10 percent of the team's scheduled games for
the season, excluding practice scrimmages.

With a second offense, the student will be suspended from the team
but can apply for reinstatement after at least four weeks if the
student can provide a negative drug screen to school administrators,
agree to continue with drug counseling and be subjected to future
testing on demand.

The principal, head coach and athletic director will decide on
reinstatement.

A third positive screen will result in suspension from all
interscholastic athletic competition for one calendar year from the
date of the result.

Gordon Higgins, the district's director for community elations and
athletics, said student drivers and athletes would form a single
testing pool.

Northeast Georgia Toxicology, which conducts the district's drug
testing, "has said it would be no problem for them to take on this
additional duty," Higgins said.

Schofield also noted that "surface testing" technology "is sensitive
enough to swab a steering wheel and ... read residues. And so we will
also look at incorporating the testing of steering wheels, door
handles, book bags, etc."

Board member Nath Morris said he hopes students see the policy "as a
deterrent, not a punishment."

"We're not out there looking to catch kids doing things wrong,"
Morris said. "We're trying to help them make the right decision."