CALHOUN STUDENTS MAY GET DRUG TESTS

Tests Required For Extracurricular Activities In Schools

MOUNT ZION -- Calhoun County students in extracurricular activities
will soon be subject to random drug tests and must remain drug-free to
continue participating.

The Calhoun County Board of Education has unanimously passed the
"Student Activity Drug Testing Policy." It penalizes any student who
tests positive or refuses to submit to the tests.

"It will happen; we will test," Superintendent Ron Blankenship said.
"If you're going to represent the county in any activity, you have to
understand you're going to be held to a higher standard."

When the policy takes effect Feb. 1, Calhoun County will join Braxton
and Logan as the three West Virginia counties to pass such a policy,
said the state's safe and drug free schools coordinator Mary Jane Kerwood.

The policy will govern Calhoun County middle and high school students
whose activities involve competing with other schools, including
athletes and cheerleaders, band members, singers, members of academic
teams, Future Homemakers of America and Future Farmers of America
members. Blankenship expects it to affect about 140 students.

Board member Carlene Frederick voted for the policy, but she believes
testing only the "activity" student will solve a minority of the
schools' drug problem.

"We're not reaching the children that need to be reached," she said.
"The majority of the kids in extracurricular activities are not the
ones using drugs the most, but it's other children."

Kerwood said that's all the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed. Case law
permits school systems to test only students in activities.

"The decision is that education is a right, but extracurricular
activities are a privilege and that the schools have a right to
withhold that privilege," Kerwood said.

"I hope we don't have a problem," Calhoun High head basketball coach
Tim Davis said. "Sometimes as a coach you think it might be a little
unfair. They don't get any extra privileges and get harsher treatment.
You just have to play by the rules."

Davis' sophomore forward, Victor Carpenter, said, "I think if you
don't have your mind on basketball, you shouldn't be playing. If you
want to play ball, you shouldn't be out doing stuff you shouldn't do."

Students, coaches and parents will all be required to sign a drug test
consent form before students will be allowed to participate in activities.

Mike Hayden, executive director of the state Secondary School
Activities Commission, said, "We take a neutral position on it. We
support our county boards and what they do, but it's an individual
county decision." For a first offense, a student's parents will be
notified and the student will have to undergo counseling and a
mandatory second drug test within two weeks.

Second-time offenders will face suspension from all activities covered
under the policy for 14 calendar days and be required to seek four
hours of counseling. The student will be randomly tested monthly for
the remainder of the school year.

Third-time offenders in the same school year will be subject to a
complete suspension from extracurricular activities for the remainder
of the school year or 90 school days, whichever is longer. The
suspension would include meetings, practices, performances and
competitions.

"This isn't for the good student," board member Ralph Cunningham said.
"This is to keep the student who may not tend to abide by the rules,
to keep him straight."

Test results will be kept confidential among the laboratory,
principal/athletic director, head coach/sponsor, parents and the student.

Blankenship expects a federal grant will cover the costs of the random
tests.

Kerwood estimated such drug tests usually cost between $4 and $5 per
test.