VESTAVIA SCHOOLS TO EXPAND DRUG TESTS

Board Unanimously OKs Wider Testing

The Vestavia Hills school system on Wednesday night became the second
system in the Birmingham area to extend its drug testing beyond athletes
and cheerleaders.

In a 4-0 vote, the Vestavia Hills Board of Education approved a revised
drug-testing policy that would test academic team members, band members,
majorettes, dance team members, as well as athletes and cheerleaders.

The system's old policy, to test athletes and cheerleaders, went into
effect last year.

The board's vote came at a 30-minute, specially called meeting at the Board
of Education building.

In August, the Shelby County Board of Education voted to expand that county
school system's mandatory drug-testing policy. The Shelby board voted to
change its policy to cover not only student athletes and cheerleaders, but
also students who are involved in any middle-or high school-sanctioned or
sponsored activity that involves competition, comparison or judging.

Both boards' decisions follow a June U.S. Supreme Court ruling which gives
school systems the authority to test any student who is involved in
competitive extracurricular activity.

Vestavia Hills' revised policy requires that all middle and high school
students who are involved in competitive extra-curricular activities be
tested for drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

"I'm very pleased," said Vestavia Hills school Superintendent Jamie Blair.
"More students have the opportunity to use this as a deterrent if they're
pressured to do drugs or buy drugs."

Blair said comments from faculty, students, parents and other members of
the community have made him believe the system's current policy has been
successful.

Under the new policy, students who fail a drug test incur penalties that
include being suspended for 10 to 20 percent of competitive activity in a
year on first offense. A fourth offense carries suspension for the
remainder of a student's time at his school.

Blair said the system's Safe and Drug Free School and Community Advisory
Committee made up of parents, educators and doctors unanimously approved
the policy that was passed Wednesday night.

Parent Jean Burford expressed concern about the way suspensions would be
handed out. She said, for instance, the 10 percent activity suspension in
the first offense for tobacco use unfairly penalizes academic team students
who compete year-round more than those who participate in seasonal
sports-related competitions.

Ann C. Jones, Vestavia High School principal, said the percentages do not
show more favor toward sports participants. Activities with longer seasons
have more events, so the 10 percent penalty is fair, Jones said. "If you
had 10 competitions and you had to miss 10 percent, that would amount to
one," Jones said.

The revised policy is expected to go into effect immediately.

Other policies:

Although the city's policy is like the one in Shelby County, the county is
phasing its broadened scope in more slowly. Ken Mobley, the county's
students services coordinator, said random testing of marching band members
began Tuesday at the system's eight high schools. Other competitors such as
scholars' bowl teams, Future Farmers of America chapters and chess clubs
will follow during the year, he said. Athletes and cheerleaders are already
being tested.

"The band director and the principal do not know who is going to be
tested," Mobley said. "They are selected in a computerized program. So far,
we have had no bad results and no complaints from students or parents."

Other systems, including Mountain Brook and Hoover, have drug testing for
athletes and cheerleaders in place. Mountain Brook Superintendent Charles
Mason said the Mountain Brook AntiDrug Coalition is looking at the
possibility of expanding the scope of the system's policy.

The coalition, which has existed for more than eight years, is made up of
parents and representatives from the school board, City Council, Police
Department and the religious community. It looks at drug and alcohol use
among Mountain Brook students.

Mason said, however, system officials likely would not try to implement
such a policy change until at least next school year.

In the Jefferson County School System, schools can test athletes for drugs,
but it's not mandatory, said Superintendent Bob Neighbors. If a school does
the testing, it must first get the system's approval, "so we can make sure
it is done correctly," Neighbors said.

The Birmingham and the Homewood systems do not have drug testing policies
in place. Homewood officials said they are studying the possibility of
having a drug-testing policy. Birmingham is not considering one.