CB SCHOOL BOARD UPDATES DRUG TESTING POLICY

COOS BAY - The Coos Bay School Board has taken a first step toward
instituting an updated drug policy for new employees.

At the December board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Karen Fischer Gray
reported the district's medical screening process had lapsed under
her watch. This week, she recommended a revised policy, doing away
with medical examinations and focusing, instead, on pre-employment drug tests.

"I don't feel that it is necessary to ask people to go through
physical examinations before hiring them," she said. "I would like
to see all employees, licensed and non-licensed, to be drug tested,
previous to being able to begin their jobs."

Gray explained that part of the reason she thought the district
should eliminate the medical examination is because most school
employees do not perform overly physical activities.

"In general, we don't have jobs that require that level of testing,"
she said. "We are not that kind of business, in my opinion."

In addition to drug tests, the school would continue to perform
criminal background studies of all potential employees.

There was little debate among the board members at Monday's meeting,
with discussion limited mainly to whether the drug tests should be
administered before or after applicants receive job offers.

Tom Bennett said he would prefer the district test applicants before
they are offered a post.

"I think it tends to send a slightly different message that the
sample could happen at any time, most likely if you get down to the
select few," he said.

Bennett also suggested there would be logistical difficulties for
testing new hires from outside the area if the tests took place
after receiving an offer.

Gray considered such a concern to be minor.

"I'm not worried about people far away. They have drug labs in
Vermont and we can always contact the lab to make sure the test was
done appropriately," she said. "And most of our people are from
right here in Oregon anyway."

Donna Opitz and David Ford both recommended waiting until after a
candidate is selected, suggesting the school might unnecessarily
waste funds on drug tests if all applicants were tested.

Chairman Don Blom offered a middle ground.

"I think the test could be concurrent," he said. "We can say, 'We
will offer you this job, pending the drug test.'"

No matter when the test occurs, everyone on the board agreed that
something needs to be on the school policy ledger. The existing
policy was put into effect in 1993, though its application has been
spotty in recent years. Gray said it would be one of her priorities
to see it put into use.

"Our policies have got to mirror our practices," she said. "I want
people to start work sober."

A blanket drug policy is somewhat of a rarity on the South Coast.
North Bend, Brookings-Harbor, Myrtle Point and Siuslaw are the only
school districts with drug testing for all new employees. Other
districts test only bus driver personnel.

In other news at the Monday Coos Bay School Board meeting:

- - Maintenance Supervisor Joel Smallwood said the school had received
word from the Federal Aviation Administration that a new radio tower
for KMHS would not need a hazard light or red-and-white painting to
alert passing aircraft. The school will save money on repair and
general upkeep costs as a result. Smallwood estimated a new tower
will be in place by mid-summer at the earliest.