FOCUS IS ON DRUG TESTING

The start of the new school year in Pauls Valley later this month also
means the start of a new drug testing policy for all extracurricular
students starting in the seventh grade.

With that in mind, school officials have set up a time this week for anyone
to come and get more information on the new testing.

"This will give the community or parents an opportunity to ask questions or
to be informed about this before it gets started," said Peter Campbell,
Pauls Valley High School principal.

The open meeting intended to offer more details to the general public on
the drug testing is scheduled to get started at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3
at the high school auditorium.

A similar meeting to address the issue just with coaches will be at 6 p.m.
Thursday, also at the auditorium.

The importance of the meeting is it provides a kind of last minute chance
to fully understand a brand new policy, which is basically an expansion of
the old one.

"It's been athletics up to now," Campbell said about the drug testing.

"But the school board decided to include all students participating in
interscholastic events that are competitive," he said.

"Before they can participate they must be tested."

The new policy approved back in March allows for the drug testing of all
junior high and high school students taking part in extracurricular activities.

Up until that time only athletes were allowed to be tested, which the local
board approved in 2001. At the time this was the one area where testing was
allowed.

A short time later a U.S. Supreme Court decision opened the door for local
boards to include all students taking part in any extracurricular activity.

The local approval came after a school committee was formed to look closer
at possibly revising the athlete-only policy then in place.

The seven members later recommended students in the seventh grade and up
who take part in the extra activities should be included.

A few of the activities included in the new testing policy are band,
cheerleading, academic team, chorus, pom squad, FFA and athletics.

The testing itself will be conducted prior to the respective activities
getting started throughout the 2006-2007 year. Random testing will also be
done by a laboratory independent of the school district.

Campbell again stressed that students wanting to take part in these extra
school activities must first be tested.

"This also gives parents the choice of opting their child out of the
testing," he said.

"Of course that would mean the child couldn't participate in the activity."