FIXING A DRUG POLICY THAT ISN'T BROKEN

Roanoke County Schools Should Resist Tampering With The Way It Handles
Student Drug Use.

Roanoke County schools have in place a sensible policy for dealing
with students suspected of drug use or involvement.

So why are school officials undercutting it by considering a plan that
would allow parents to purchase drug kits from the high schools to
test their own children? The current drug policy isn't broken, so it
needs no fixing.

School officials' proposal to sell drug kits comes after the Roanoke
County Prevention Council, following months of discussion, wisely
dropped its request for county schools to approve random
drug-testing.

Parents largely were against the proposal, which would have affected
students in extracurricular activities or who park in the school lot.

In a ruling two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed random tests
for students in extracurricular activities.

But as previously noted on this page, random testing undermines
students' belief in the constitutional principle of a person's being
innocent until proved guilty.

The county school system now wants to provide the means with which
parents can test their own children. Certainly, attentive and
responsible parents need to be involved in helping their child with a
substance problem. But school systems should not devote scarce
resources to create an inventory of such testing kits.

School administrators are responsible for safeguarding students and
providing an atmosphere conducive to learning. Concern for student
drug use also demands that educators establish a procedure for dealing
with teens they suspect.

Roanoke County schools already have a sound policy in place.

For instance, if a student is suspected of using, possessing or
selling drugs, school officials notify the parents and recommend that
the child undergo drug-testing.

The system also requires students expelled for drug involvement to
take a drug test as a stipulation for readmission.

Roanoke County's policy as it stands is solid, and school officials
should leave it that way.