CUMBERLAND SCHOOLS ADOPTS DRUG TESTING PLAN

The meeting: The board met Tuesday evening in the school system's
central office.

What happened: The board voted to give final approval to a drug
testing program for students. The board gave the plan preliminary
approval in December. Starting next year, high school students will
have to agree to be drug tested before they will be allowed to
participate in competitive extracurricular activities, such as
marching band or any sports.

About 1,500 students will be tested next year. The program is paid for
by a four-year, $1.2million grant.

Student representatives at the meeting spoke in favor of the plan.
Matthew Karkutt, Gray's Creek High School student body president, said
he thought the plan would make students take responsibility for their
actions.

Why you should care: Students will have to stay off drugs if they want
to play sports or participate in many activities. After two positive
tests, they will be suspended from activities for a year. A third
violation results in a permanent ban, though there are no academic
penalties.

What they said: "I think a lot of people take advantage of their
involvement in extracurricular activities," said Karkutt, who had
earlier spoken to the board about alcohol abuse in high schools. "If
they take their ability to play sports more seriously, they'll take
their academics more seriously."

Other business: The board also agreed to adhere to a curriculum that
teaches abstinence until marriage as part of sex education classes.
The board is required to sign a form stating that the abstinence
curriculum will not be mixed with any other elements of sex education
before it can receive federal money for the program.