SCHOOLS CONSIDER DRUG TESTS

YUKON - School officials met with four drug testing companies Thursday
to review financial proposals to drug test all seventh-through
12th-grade students participating in after-school activities. Board
members chose to hold off on choosing a drug testing company until
Monday's board meeting. The board meets at 6:30 p.m. at 600 Maple.

School board members interviewed representatives from Drug Testing
Compliance LLC, Drugs of Abuse Testing Laboratory Inc., Compliance
Resource Group and St. Anthony Hospital.

The financial estimates ranged from $15 to $27 per student for a
variety of drug screenings.

School Superintendent Bill Spaeth said several collection sites had
been identified, including the varsity basketball gym rest rooms and
rest rooms at Independence Middle School and Lakeview Middle School.

Male and female collectors from the company chosen will be in the rest
room with the student while the urine sample is collected, but
students will be allowed to close the stall door while submitting the
sample, Spaeth said.

School officials are modeling their drug testing policy after the
policy in the Tecumseh School District that met with U.S. Supreme
Court approval two years ago.

"It's not a question of will we start testing," board member John Nail
said. "It's when will we start testing."

Officials said random testing could begin as early as
October.

Administrators began examining drug-testing procedures after a
15-year-old student died from a methadone overdose and another student
collapsed from an apparent overdose.