SCHOOL DRUG TESTING PROPOSAL SHIFTS

Members of a committee charged with developing a drug testing policy
for students in the Caldwell County School District are shifting
their focus toward a new group of students.

School Health Coordinator Will Brown, the head of the committee that
began its research about two years ago, updated school board members
on the group's progress this week.

Initially, the committee had focused on developing a random drug
testing policy for students involved in extracurricular activities,
such as athletics, band and school clubs.

Of late, though, the committee has suspended that angle.

"Essentially, we felt that policy would not bring the ends that we
were looking for," said Brown.

Pursuing that form of a policy would only allow a limited number of
students to be tested, he said.

And the students most in danger of falling victim to drug abuse are
often those uninvolved in extracurricular activities, thus exempting
them from drug testing, he said.

"We're not getting help to those most desperately in need," he said.

As an alternative, Brown said, the committee is exploring a more
focused, "suspicion-based" testing program.

The focus will now be on "fringe" students perceived to be in danger.

Brown said that assessment would be backed up by certain statutory
criteria, such as attendance and discipline records.

The policy may also be redrafted as a voluntary one, where parents
and guardians agree to allow their children to be tested.

A voluntary program would be "extremely legally sound," said Brown.

Either way, the policy would not be cast as one with punishment in mind.

"We don't want to catch them. We want to help them," Brown said.

The committee will reconvene this summer to continue its research.