BOARD TO DISCUSS DRUG TESTING

The Sedalia school board will discuss a proposed student drug testing
policy and an attorney's opinion of the legal risks Monday.

The Board of Education put off its decision July 10 on randomly drug
testing students involved in extracurricular activities. Board
members wanted a legal opinion and a draft policy.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday at Smith-Cotton High School and
is open to the public.

The district surveyed 162 Smith-Cotton High School students in May
about drug use at the school. Fifty-five percent of the students
favored drug testing only student athletes.

The proposed testing policy would require all students involved in
extracurricular activities to sign a consent form to be randomly
selected for a drug test. The policy outlines suspensions from
activities for positive tests, an appeal procedure, student
confidentiality, and the district's role in helping parents seek drug
counseling for students.

Superintendent Doug Ebersold said he will discuss the availability of
insurance to help pay for counseling if a student were to test positive.

A student would be suspended from activities for 28 days for testing
positive, 52 weeks for a second offense, and for the remainder of the
student's enrollment at the school for a third offense, according to
the draft regulations.

The proposed regulation also requires one staff member be tested at
random. Dr. Ebersold said the method of selecting a staff member
would need to be worked out if the policy is approved.

The testing program would cost about $7,500, according to Dr.
Ebersold. Money used to pay for the district's Sedalia Taking a New
Direction program and for security cameras at the junior high and
high schools could pay for the testing program, Dr. Ebersold said.

Students involved in STAND talk to elementary school students about
the

dangers of drugs and how to resist peer pressure, Dr. Ebersold
said.

Cylinda Brasher, an attorney for the district, cited U.S. Supreme
Court cases that support drug testing in schools under certain
conditions. A district must have documented evidence to show the need
for drug testing and that it has unsuccessfully tried other ways to
fight drug use, according to the 1995 case Vernonia School District
vs. Acton.

Dr. Ebersold said district information shows a "minute number" of
student athletes, between two and five per year, were caught with
drugs, alcohol or tobacco during the past five years. He said it is
difficult to quantify the success of the district's drug and alcohol
awareness programs, such as the mock car crash before prom and STAND.

Ms. Brasher's memo to the board said some of the risks associated
with drug testing students include possible changes in law and
ongoing testing expenses.

"Moreover, the district will be at risk for legal claims arising out
of alleged violation of privacy rights, confidentiality and due
process, (as) well as for alleged claims of discrimination with
respect to the treatment of individual athletes," Ms. Brasher wrote.