CAMAS SCHOOLS CONSIDER RANDOM DRUG TESTS

CAMAS - Students who run afoul of school drug and alcohol rules may soon be
able to reduce their penalties or re-enter school sports and activities
sooner if they agree to drug testing.

The Camas School District is considering a policy that offers random
testing instead of stiffer penalties for middle school and high school
students. The district also may form a student club that requires members
to agree to random testing.

"We hope to be able to do a better job intervening with the individual
students who might be in trouble with drugs and alcohol," said Camas
Superintendent Milt Dennison.

The Camas School Board is tentatively scheduled to discuss the proposal at
its Aug. 24 meeting.

Camas would be the first district in Clark County to adopt drug testing for
athletes. Woodland was considering mandatory testing for athletes but
tabled the idea last winter.

Camas already offers testing as an option for students caught using or
possessing drugs or alcohol at school. First-time offenders who agree to a
one-time test and drug counseling can reduce their suspensions from 15 days
to five days. The test is given shortly after a student is caught.

Dennison said a majority of students and their parents choose the testing
option.

"It serves as a great motivator for them to get some help," he said.

The idea of random testing grew out of discussions between Athletic
Director Greg Schwab and school coaches, and interest among staff members
about joining the Washington for Drug Free Youth program, Dennison said.

Schools in Spokane and other parts of Washington have adopted the program,
which includes the drug-free club. Entry in the club requires students to
agree to random drug testing.

Possible changes

In addition to school suspension, a first-time drug or alcohol offense
currently also bars students from sports for a season or from other school
club activities until the end of a play or other production.

The proposed policy would allow students to miss only 20 percent of the
remaining season or production if they agree to random urinalysis. The
school suspension would still apply.

As is now the case, schools would provide parents with a list of medical
providers who can conduct the test. Parents would have to pay for the test.

Dennison said the possibility of testing gives students a good excuse when
they are offered drugs or alcohol.

"If they are in a pressure situation," he said, "they can use that as a
response, 'Hey, I'd love to party with you, but I'm on a random testing
program.'"

Nine Camas High School students were suspended last year for drug offenses,
three for alcohol. Nine Skyridge Mid School students committed drug
offenses; four committed alcohol offenses.

A 1995 U.S. Supreme Court ruled it is legal for schools to conduct drug
tests on student athletes. The ruling stemmed from a case in Vernonia, Ore.

Dennison is researching more recent cases that might bring the 1995 ruling
into question.

"I want to make sure anything we are doing is not going to face a court
challenge," he said.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)