TAFT HIGH ADOPTS DRUG TESTING POLICY

The suspension of eight students for substance abuse a month ago
underscores one fact:

Like any high school, Taft High School has a drug problem.

That, coupled with an incident last fall that nearly resulted in the
death of a student, prompted the development and implementation of a
drug-testing policy for all students involved in extracurricular activity.

The district's governing board formally adopted the policy Monday night.

"We don't think there is any question there is a drug problem here,"
Superintendent Curt Dubost said. "There are drugs in our community, in
our student body and that extends to student athletes."

The move to establish a policy of random drug testing for students in
extracurricular activity started last fall when a party attended by
teenagers, including several students involved in sports, nearly
turned tragic when a 15-year-old on the junior varsity football team
went into respiratory arrest and nearly died from alcohol poisoning
and from aspirating alcohol into his lungs.

An investigation into the party resulted in the suspensions of several
football and volleyball players.

On June 23, the governing board handed down expulsions to eight
students for substance abuse.

That came after another group of students, including some
student-athletes, was also expelled, Dubost said.

The drugs the school is most concerned about include alcohol,
marijuana and steroids, Dubost said.