NEWPORT CRACKING DOWN

Drug Testing Of Students, Teachers May Be Next

NEWPORT - Under a new rule, Newport student athletes may lose their
playing privileges if they use alcohol or drugs, smoke cigarettes,
commit vandalism or possess a weapon - even if the violations occur
on their own time and property.

In front of a tense crowd of 40, the Newport School Board endorsed
the code of conduct on Wednesday as a temporary measure while a
committee looks into random drug testing of students and employees.

The code will apply not only to athletes but also to students
participating in any other extracurricular activities. Superintendent
Michael Brandt said he will be talking with the school board
attorneys to make sure it's legal to require students to sign the
code even if they are already members of the team or club. If so, he
will meet with parents and students to explain the code before they
are expected to sign it.

"Extracurricular activities are a privilege," Brandt told the
audience, "and that's what we're going to get back to."

The code comes in the wake of misdemeanor charges against Newport
school board member Jim Hesch and his wife, Helen, a Newport Middle
School teacher. They are accused of allowing juveniles to consume
alcohol in their home. Neither of the Hesches was at the meeting .

In addition, former Newport High School teacher and volleyball coach
Brandon Hall faces a felony charge of providing students with alcohol
and using marijuana with them.

Hall has told police that the Hesches allowed their underage son, the
quarterback of Newport's football team, to consume alcohol, police
reports state.

As a result, some community members have called for a stricter
drug-and-alcohol policy for student athletes.

The new code of conduct is a hybrid of various school policies that
Brandt found on the Internet, he said.

The school board also voted Wednesday night to create a committee, to
be led by pupil personnel director Mark Goetz, that will research and
recommend a policy on random drug-testing of students and new hires.

Brandt had mentioned this to the board before the recent arrests, but
the police investigation gave the matter new urgency.

Brandt said he hoped the committee would report to the board in
February, leaving time for a policy to be approved and become
effective by next fall.

During the meeting, Newport High School parent Dan Beach asked
whether current employees also would be randomly tested.

"It would be a good example for students. ... They wouldn't feel they
were being singled out," Beach said.

Brandt said he would tell the committee that it is free to look at
all issues, including policies regarding current employees.