GOVGUAM DRUG POLICY MUST BE MORE STRICT FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WORK DIRECTLY
WITH CHILDREN

Currently, the worst that can happen to government of Guam employees who
test positive for drugs the first time is suspension. If they complete drug
rehabilitation successfully, they are allowed to return to their jobs.

That means that four Public Works school bus drivers, who are charged with
delivering hundreds of students to our public schools daily, soon will be
back behind the wheels of a school bus. Four bus drivers who tested
positive last year again are picking up and dropping off schoolchildren.

The parents in our community have made it clear that they don't want
individuals who have been found to be using drugs in any position that
works with children.

The drug policy needs to be changed when it comes to those who work
directly with children. These GovGuam employees, who are responsible for
the safety and well-being of our children in the course of their duties,
must be held to much higher standards.

If GovGuam employees who work directly with children -- such as bus
drivers, teachers, youth center workers, etc -- test positive for drugs,
they must be immediately suspended and required to undergo rehabilitation.
However, they must not be allowed to return to any government position in
which they work directly with children; they must be transferred to a
different job on probationary status.

Furthermore, their personnel files must be flagged so they aren't moved in
the future into a position that works directly with children. During the
probationary period, they also must be tested for drugs on a regular basis.
If they test positive a second time, they must be terminated. Again, their
records must be flagged so they won't be rehired at some later date.

We all might believe in giving people second chances, but that doesn't mean
the second chance has to be in an area in which the lives and safety of our
children are at stake. For the good of this community, our lawmakers have
to revise the government's drug policy.