VAN BUREN EYES SCHOOL DRUG TESTS

A visitor to the Van Buren School District seemingly preached to the choir
Monday as he touted mandatory drug screening to an audience largely
comprised of school personnel.

But comments made by the few parents who attended the public hearing to
discuss proposed screening initiated discussion.

David Bangs, director of finance and student services for the Vilonia
school district, visited Van Buren to provide an overview of a program that
would initiate mandatory drug testing for students -- grades seven through
12 -- involved in extracurricular activities.

Bangs said drug testing was implemented in his school district in 1999 and
that positive drug screens have fallen in the last two years of the program.

"I've had students move to Vilonia, I've had parents bring kids to Vilonia
because we have testing," Bangs told those attending.

A draft of the policy that Van Buren school officials say would likely be
implemented states that the program's purpose is to provide for the health
and safety of the students, to undermine the effects of peer pressure for
students by providing them a reason to refuse drugs and to encourage
students who use drugs to participate in drug treatment programs.

Robin Nichols, a parent in the district, questioned whether administrators
would adhere to the clause in the policy that states information regarding
a positive test would not be handed over to authorities. She said the issue
of determining whether a student is using drugs should be left to the
parent of that student.

Nichols said her concern is that students who may test positive would then
be targeted by administrators and law enforcement officials who already
conduct searches of vehicles, lockers and even students.

"How is this any better than anything else they're already doing?" Nichols
asked.

Nichols was only one of about seven or eight from the community that
attended the meeting.

"This is not a punitive thing at all," said Van Buren Superintendent Merle
Dickerson.

However, he cautioned, the screening would not circumvent the district's
discipline policy when it comes to students possessing or dealing drugs on
school property or at school events.

Dickerson acknowledged school officials would need to keep a distance
between discipline and health issues as they relate to drug use by students.

President of the Parent Teachers Association for the district, Vonda
Norwood, suggested teachers be held to the same standard as the students
and drug testing be implemented for staff in the event that students are
tested.

Dickerson said contract issues dealing with the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act
would prevent school officials from exploring that option.

Norwood said she knows there is a drug problem in the school and believes
testing should address more types of drugs than officials have proposed.

Bangs said schools typically implement a program that tests for five drugs,
including THC, PCP, amphetamine, marijuana and cocaine.

Norwood questioned the need to test for barbiturates.

Dickerson said a task force of about 40 was established at the beginning of
the summer to study the issue of drug screening.

Task force members will now take feedback and revise a policy to be
presented to district officials, who will then make a recommendation to
school board members, Dickerson said.

Dickerson said he estimates the program will cost about $15,000 to $20,000
to implement and the money will be budgeted from the school's operating fund.

"I don't think there's any price you can put on that," he said.

He said the district's desire to test students reinforces their statement
that they want to help students be academically successful no matter what
it takes.