COMMITTEE REVIEWS MARSHFIELD DRUG TESTING POLICY

The drug testing committee for Marshfield Schools met June 29 to review and
discuss the random drug testing program for district students, which was
enacted at the beginning of the 2003-04 school year.

Information provided at the meeting showed that about 184 students and 13
teachers were tested during the school year. School administrators reported
no false positive results, which had been a concern of several parents
whose children were taking drugs prescribed by a physician.

The committee, comprised of school administrators, school board members and
residents of the community, reviewed the policies and procedures of the
program, along with end-of-the-year survey results from students grades 7 -
12. Also present were a handful of parents who spoke out against the policy
- - saying it was intimidating or a violation of their child's rights.
Questions were asked about the type of drugs screened, and concerns voiced
about a number of procedural issues with the program.

Discussed was a policy concern regarding what steps were being taken to
ensure confidentiality of the students being tested. Jan Hibbs, high school
principal, explained that all the students who were part of the drug
testing pool were assigned a number, and that list was kept strictly
confidential throughout the testing process, along with the results of the
tests.

It was learned at the committee meeting though, that technicians with
Employee Screening Services, (the company contracted to perform the drug
test) did, at the time of the test, ask the name of the student. This
prompted discussion in the audience that a student's name was being used in
part of the process, and several parents said they didn't want their
child's name maintained by the company in any fashion. The company retains
test records for one year, five years on positive results.

The committee agreed that the use of strictly numbers - unless it was a
positive test result, was a policy that needed to be followed. "I was under
the impression (from the beginning) that's what we were going to do," said
school board member Jim Greer.

Committee member Bill Messick agreed. "It's important we tighten the
confidentiality (procedure) ... we need to keep the lid on that," he said.

After the meeting, Hibbs said she called ESS and informed them that the
district did not want ESS technicians requesting the names of any students,
with the exception of a pending positive result. For next year, Hibbs said
only numbers will be used for the process.

Another issue raised at the meeting was if the program should include
additional screening for drugs, such as steroid use, or even tobacco. ESS
employee John Throckmorton said he was unaware of tobacco being a part of
any test screening, including those in the workplace.

School Superintendent Mike Wutke and athletic director Jack Randolph both
stated that they felt steroid testing was not necessary, as steroid use -
unlike marijuana - didn't seem to be an issue at the school. Randolph said
there would be visible, identifiable traits that would make steroid use
much easier than other drugs to detect among students.

Another public comment came from a resident who felt the money spent on
drug testing could be better spent; on an anti-bullying program, for
instance. The cost for the drug testing was just over $3,400, paid for
through Title IV funds, which is earmarked for anti-drug programs.

Randy Luebbert, high school assistant principal, said last year was "the
first year the drug dog didn't hit a locker." He admitted though, that even
with the policy in place, kids were still caught with drugs at school. But
Luebbert, along with Randolph, said they found the policy was doing what it
was intended to do - not to levy discipline, but rather to aid in the
discovery and prevention of drug related problems. And besides that,
Leubbert said, having the policy in place "has made parents sit down and
talk to their kids about drugs."

A high percentage of students completed the drug testing survey, 89 percent
of seventh and eighth graders, 84 percent of high school students. The
survey reflected that the majority of students felt the testing program had
made a small reduction in drug use. At the same time, survey results showed
that the majority of kids felt the policy had kept students from
participating in activities. The program is mandatory for any student
wanting to participate in extracurricular and co-curricular activities.

Committee members said they felt the large majority of parents, business
owners and community residents still think that continuing the drug testing
policy is the right decision. Several said they had received calls from
other schools districts (Webb City and Ava were mentioned), asking for
input, as they too, were wanting to enact a drug testing policy.

The committee will now submit their findings, along with any recommended
changes to the policy, for the consideration of the school board.