SCHOOL BOARD CONSIDERS DRUG TESTING FOR ATHLETES

Students who want to participate in football, join the swim team or
play basketball for their alma matter better think twice about
ingesting illegal substances before the season starts.

The Collier County School Board is considering a proposal that would
make students who participate in athletic activities, including
cheerleading, subject to random drug testing.

Dee Whinnery, the district's executive director of student services,
presented the board with the results of a Florida Youth Substance
Abuse survey, which was given to students in grades six through 12.
The survey found that more than 60 percent of Collier County
students had used an illegal substance in their lives, and more than
30 percent had used an illegal substance within the past 30 days.

The survey determined that Collier County students were abusing
alcohol, followed closely by cigarettes and marijuana. The conclusion
of the survey determined that random drug testing could be a
deterrent to students.

Student athletes and their parents would have to agree to the
screening as a prerequisite to participate in athletic activities.

Student privacy would be kept in accordance with the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the results of the
drug test would be made available only to the student, principal and
athletic director, said Ike Isett, the district's coordinator of
health services.

Isett added the drug tests would follow guidelines similar to the
Department of Transportation's guidelines, which allow for a split
sample at the time of specimen collection.

In the split sample method the urine specimen is divided into two
containers. The purpose of the split sample is to allow the employee
the opportunity to have the specimen retested at a different
certified laboratory.

The policy also would provide options for students, including taking
another test and participating in a drug/alcohol program, should they
fail the random test.

Whinnery told the board the drug testing would cost about $115,000.
She said testing would be provisional on how much the district could
secure in grant funding. She said she also had approached private
foundations in the county to help pay for the screenings.

Board member Dick Bruce suggested that not only athletes be tested,
but also students who drive.

Board attorney Richard Withers said current state case law allows
school districts to test select groups of students. Although the
district could not test all students at every school, he said they
could identify a group where substance abuse could create a health
issue, including impairing a student's ability to drive.

Board member Linda Abbott said she wondered how the testing would
affect the district's "zero tolerance" policy on illegal substances.

"Testing positive in a drug test is not possession or distribution,"
said Superintendent Ray Baker. "It would be something we would have
to look at."