AMITE CONSIDERS STUDENT DRUG TESTING

The Amite County School District is considering a student drug-testing
policy similar to those used in other area districts.

Under the proposal presented by Superintendent of Education Charles
Kirkfield at a board meeting Thursday, seventh-through 12th-grade students
involved in extracurricular activities would be subject to weekly random
testing for illicit drugs and alcohol. School officials could also order
tests of students believed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

"It's targeting the athletes and the extracurricular kids," said board
member Jimmy Burns. "I'm in favor of it. It's sad to say, the way people
are in general ... students, adults, the general public, drugs are out
there. People use them." Students testing positive would be suspended from
extracurricular activities for two weeks and the student and/or guardian
must attend two counseling sessions during the suspension.

A second positive test would result in a ban from after-school activities
for the rest of the semester and a third positive test would bring a
180-day ban from activities.

A student who refuses a drug test would be banned from all activities.
Kirkfield said the district combined drug testing policies from other
school districts in formulating its own proposal.

Rankin County School Board members on Wednesday gave final approval to its
student drug-testing policy, which will begin in August. Students involved
in extracurricular activities in grades 7-12 will be randomly tested. The
policy also allows parents to sign their children up to be in the pool of
randomly tested students.

If a school official has "reasonable suspicion" of drug use, students and
staff also may be tested.

Rankin joins at least eight districts statewide with a drug-testing policy.