ANDREWS: DRUG TEST MEMBERS OF COMMISSION

If school students have to take random drug tests, politicians should
too. At least Mike Andrews thinks so.

Earlier this week, the Camden commissioner proposed requiring members
of the county Board of Commissioners to submit to random drug tests.
Andrews said if commissioners want school students to submit to drug
tests, they should set an example for them to follow.

"We as elected officials are depended upon by the citizens of our
county to be leaders and also to set good examples for the children,"
he said. "I make a motion that from now on all members of this board,
as a show of good faith and leadership, submit to random drug and
alcohol testing and that these tests ... be carried out by an agency
outside of the county to prevent and appearance of improperness, such
as the State Bureau of Investigation." Andrews' proposal didn't get
far. His fellow board members rejected the proposal by a 3-1 vote.

But it did spur Camden's newest commissioner to say she wouldn't
oppose the idea. "I wouldn't have a problem with taking" random drug
tests, Sandra Duckwall said Tuesday. Duckwall was sworn in Monday to
replace former Commissioner Carolyn Riggs after the board's vote on
Andrews' proposal. The Camden County Schools already have a policy
requiring mandatory drug and alcohol testing for youngsters taking
part in extracurricular activities. The school district in neighboring
Currituck County is planning to introduce a similar policy in the fall.

Referring to a recent newspaper report about the Currituck school
policy, Andrews said he was impressed that the drug tests had been
suggested by students. "They decided to set a good example," he said,
referring to the Dream Team, a group of Currituck student-athletes who
serve as mentors to elementary and middle school students.

Under the policy, which the Currituck Board of Education approved last
month, students in grades 9-12 are subject to random drug tests if
they participate in athletics or other voluntary extracurricular
activities, or if they have parking privileges on the Currituck County
High School campus. But students aren't the only ones subject to
random drug tests. Camden County Schools spokeswoman Paula Mickey said
Wednesday that the school system also administers random drug tests to
school bus drivers and employees who work in safety positions.