SCHOOL BOARD OKS RANDOM SCREENINGS FOR ILLEGAL DRUGS

Grapevine-Colleyville: Steroid Use To Be Included In Testing

GRAPEVINE -- Hundreds of Grapevine-Colleyville high school athletes and
other students who participate in extracurricular activities will be
randomly tested for illegal drug use beginning this fall.

The Grapevine-Colleyville school board gave final approval Monday night to
a policy that allows school officials to administer random, unannounced
drug tests to students who participate in sports and other activities
throughout the year.

More than 2,000 students probably will be eligible for drug testing,
including screenings for illegal steroid use, officials said.

"Not everyone will be tested, but some may be tested more than once in a
school year," said John Allison, deputy superintendent for educational
services. "The testing will be mandatory for those selected."

The district has budgeted $27,000 to pay for the tests and will not pass
along costs to parents through additional activity fees, officials said.

Testing will extend to students who participate in every type of activity,
including drama, journalism, debate, band, choir, cheerleading, drill team
and all sports.

Students who test positive will face disciplinary sanctions, including
suspension from school activities and counseling.

District officials have been contemplating mandatory drug testing since The
Dallas Morning News reported in February that nine student athletes
admitted using steroids during the previous school year.

More than 20 North Texas school districts already conduct mandatory drug
testing, a News survey showed. At least eight of them screen for steroids.

Grapevine-Colleyville officials have conducted numerous community meetings
and forums on implementing a drug-testing policy.

A district survey of parents and community members indicated that 64
percent of the nearly 1,400 people polled supported random drug testing.

Also on Monday, the school board set an election for Sept. 10 on a proposed
$107.9 million bond package for improvements and new facilities.

The package, culled from nearly $200 million in recommended projects, is
the district's first since 1998.

Board President Charlie Warner said a community steering committee and the
board have spent months poring over the recommendations to produce the package.

"We feel that this is a proposal that the community will support," he said.