SCHOOL BOARD CONSIDERS DRUG TESTING POLICY

KEYSER - Student athletes and others who participate in certain
extracurricular activities in Mineral County may be subject to random
drug testing if the Mineral County Board of Education approves a
policy they are currently considering.

The members are currently examining several policies that have been
implemented by other counties in West Virginia, and after a lengthy
discussion Tuesday evening directed Superintendent Skip Hackworth to
draft a proposed policy for their consideration.

Among the items they are considering are allowing parents to "opt in"
their students for drug testing even if they are not currently
playing sports, and extending the drug testing policy to include any
students participating in extra-curricular activities in which they
might be involved in interscholastic competition.

They are also considering the possibility of implementing the program
for students who drive their personal vehicles to school.

"Participating in sports is a privilege, and driving a vehicle onto
school property is also a privilege," Board President Terry LaRue
said, explaining that he feels if a student wants to be able to enjoy
those privileges, he or she should be willing to participate in the
drug testing policy.

He also favored the "opt in" policy.

"I definitely feel we need an 'opt in' policy. If I were a parent,
I'd rather have my kids opt in to a testing policy" rather than get
expelled for possession of the drug, he said, noting that the penalty
for being caught with drugs is expulsion for a year, while the
penalty for testing positive for drugs may only be suspension for a
specified period of time from whatever activity the student is
participating in - provided the student tests negative the next time
and participates in counseling.

They were unsure in their discussion, however, as to when the policy
would go into effect for a student.

Football players, for example, could be subjected to the testing in
the fall, along with any student who already knows that he or she
wants to play a winter or spring sport.

"But if a football player gets called (for a test) in February, his
season is over," member Bob Shook said.

And if a student decides at the last minute that he or she wants to
participate in track or play baseball, for example, he would have to
be given the opportunity to opt in later in the year.

It was pointed out, however, that any football player testing
positive for drugs at the end of the season could be suspended from
the playoffs, if applicable, or from the first of the next season.

"But if he's a senior, that won't work," Shook said.

Other unanswered questions included whether or not to charge a
student when he or she is tested, and if there is a charge, on what
criteria to base the cost.

Board member Craig Rotruck noted that Cabell County bases its charge
on the price of school lunches.

"If they pay for a full lunch, then they pay full price to opt in,"
he said. "If they pay for a reduced lunch, then they pay half price,
and if they get a free lunch, they opt in for free," he said.

Shook suggested setting up an appeal process in which the first drug
test is free of charge but, if the student tests positive, the
followup test would come at a cost.

"Why do we want to charge these kids?" LaRue asked. "How much is it
going to cost us per year ... We're trying to keep kids off drugs and
in school."

The officials also talked briefly about extending the drug testing
policy to teachers and coaches.

"Let's just keep it right now to students," Hackworth suggested.

"But if the teachers or coaches want to opt in, I think we ought to
let them," Shook said.

As for deciding upon the number of students that would be included in
the policy, Hackworth told the board they would first have to decide
who would be eligible.

"You've got to decide what your pool is," he said, noting that it
could include "athletes, students who drive, FFA, band, and all the
activities where there's a competition.

"We could have a pool of 600-700 students countywide," he said.

At the end of the discussion, LaRue asked Hackworth to "put together
a policy with some blanks so we can go over it line by line." The
policy, once the draft is complete, would be put out for comment and
it is the hope of the board members to be able to implement it by next August.