MURRAY BOARD DEBATES DRUG PUNISHMENT

CHATSWORTH - Members of the Murray County Board of Education Monday night
debated how to handle the punishment of athletes who test positive for
drugs if a mandatory drug testing policy is approved.

The board is expected to vote on the proposal during its June board meeting.

Some board members said the punishment proposed for a first-time offense is
too severe. As the policy is currently written, if an athlete is tested
positive for drugs he or she will be suspended for four games. If the
student is positive a second time, the punishment is suspension for nine games.

Board member Faye Brindle said that punishment is too harsh for a
first-time offense because everyone makes mistakes. She suggested having
the athlete be dismissed from one game as a warning.

"I want to take a negative and make it a positive," Brindle said.

Board member Pat Hooker said she liked the punishment as it is written. She
said the athletes will know before the start of the season what the
consequence of drug use is going to be and if they make the decision to use
drugs anyway they should pay those consequences.

The board decided to look at school systems that currently have a drug
testing policy in place before making a final decision.

In other action, Jonathan Webb was appointed to the vacancy from District 4
left on the board when Deborah Singleton-Green resigned to run for tax
commissioner. Webb will be sworn in once he is approved by the state,
officials said.

State law requires a person to resign from one local office in order to run
for another.

Finance director Steve Loughridge told the board that the new Bagley Middle
School will be finished on time and under budget. The school is expected to
be ready for students the first day of fall classes.

Murray County High School's construction classes are making the bookcases
and shelves for the school, which has saved money, officials said.

Superintendent Charlotte Pipkin recognized three high school juniors who
will be participating in the Governor's Honors Program this summer. This is
the first time there have been three finalists from Murray County.

Those participating are Justin Carter for math, Sidney Brehm for
agri-science and Amy Johnson for English.