SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS TO CONSIDER RANDOM DRUG TESTING

The superintendent of Shelby County Schools plans to propose a measure
that would allow schools to perform random drug tests.

On the agenda for Thursday's school board work session, the new policy
would allow schools to test students involved in sports and other
extracurricular activities for drugs and alcohol, regardless of
whether there is a reasonable suspicion.

Supt. John Aitken would not discuss the agenda item.

"He doesn't have anything to say until he has the opportunity to
present it to the board," said county schools spokesman Mike Tebbe.

Prior to new state legislation, schools could only perform drug tests
if they had probable cause to believe a student was using drugs.

New legislation, however, allows school districts to set their own
drug-testing policies.

Even before the legislation, however, county schools have for some
time performed random drug testing at Millington Central High, Houston
High and Germantown High schools.

Under the proposed new policy, parents will have to provide written
consent for any random drug testing.

Additionally, students who test positive will have to take part in a
drug education program, which will also evaluate students for further
intervention.

Those that test positive under the new measure, however, cannot be
suspended or expelled based solely on the drug test.