MORGAN COUNTY STUDENTS PASS RANDOM DRUG TESTS IN FIRST YEAR

The Morgan County school system tested 283 students without a positive
result during the inaugural year of its random drug-testing program.

Drug Test Coordinator Bill Hopkins said the school system conducted random
tests of students participating in competitive extracurricular activities
four times at each of the five high schools.

The students were tested for illegal drugs, prescription drugs and alcohol.
The system does not, however, test for nicotine use. The system tested 153
female students and 130 male students.

"I thought it went very well," Hopkins said. "And most of the
administrators I talked to seemed pleased with the results."

Falkville Principal Sue Wood said she was impressed with the
professionalism of the testing company, American Specialty Clinics. On each
test day, the company tested 5 percent of students at each school
participating in 20 different competitive activities in grades 7-12. Band
had 103 students tested, the most of the activities. The next highest was
football with 39.

While some students got tested several times and some didn't get tested,
Hopkins said that was the luck of the random draw. He suggested to the
school board that it raise the number tested at each school to 10 percent,
increasing the likelihood that more students will be tested.

The school board budgeted $24,000 to test on as many as eight dates a year.
The system had four test dates during the school year, so increasing the
percentage next year would equal the budgeted cost this year, Hopkins said.

Brewer High Principal Frances Couey said she likes that the tests are random.

"It keeps the students honest," Couey said. "A student can't think he's
home free after taking the test the first time."

Falkville Elementary Principal Hank Summerford said he would like to see
every student tested at least once.