NEW PRAIRIE ADMINISTERS DRUG TESTING

Policy grants three chances before losing extra curricular
privileges.

As of July 2003, eight years after Congress approved drug testing on
students, the state of Indiana approved the drug-testing policy for
students participating in extra-curricular activities.

After hearing the Congress and state court cases and the approvals of
the procedure by both, New Prairie High School started its new
drug-testing policy for the 2003-2004 school year.

The policy states that a student participating in a sport,
co-curricular activity, or intending on driving to school, must sign a
document saying they will comply to submitting a urine sample for the
random drug testing.

Failure to comply with the policy results in the student not being
able to participate in any activity and/or not being able to drive to
school.

The testing is administered through the Figment Group and takes place
in the girls' swim locker room.

New Prairie Principal Julie Lauck commented, "We just send out the
passes to the people the Figment Group randomly chooses to take the
test."

Even though the "procedure'' is in the handbook, Section 1021, pages
7-9, it is not the precise procedure the students experience and is
considered an "outline.''

Several students think the school should be more involved in knowing
what the students are undergoing during the testing.

They say that without the proper procedure being enforced, such as
adequate supervision and disrobing, students could use the numerous
products out on the market to change their test results. If that were
the case, then the whole objective of the school administering the
tests would be worthless.

However, the school is making an effort to be as unbiased as possible
to avoid any lawsuits. A lawsuit can be filed if the school has too
much involvement because then it is a violation of the students'
Fourth Amendment rights.

If test results for a student come back positive, the student and
parent(s) will be contacted, followed by the administration.

>From there, the student may take another drug test and will be given
guiding directions to seek a doctor's advice to see if treatment is
necessary.

The penalties for positive-testing students through the school include
the Cougar Code for athletes, and driving suspensions.

However, no student may/will be expelled or suspended from school for
having a positive result.

The Cougar Code states that on a student's first offense for drug
involvement, whether it be the actual use of it or just being around
it at a party, a student will forfeit 25 percent of their season or
contests.

Punishment for the third and final offense will require that a student
give up all activities and privileges for the rest of their high
school career.

Even with the school's good intentions for its students' safety, some
people believe it is a violation of the students' Fourth Amendment
rights.

The Fourth Amendment states that a person has the right not to abide
by suspicionless and non-evidential searches conducted toward them.
Others, however, said it's not a violation of the Fourth Amendment
because the school has a responsibility to provide safety for the students.

"When you suspect your students are guilty then they should be
testing,'' says social studies teacher James Miko. "The cost of doing
nothing is greater than the cost that might be incurred.''

Math teacher Mark Meyer adds, "Since the testing is painless, only
inconvenient, it's worth it.''

Some critics and experts say that schools will be forcing students to
quit participating in sports due to the costs of drug tests, which can
get as costly as $15 per test.

Principal Lauck says this will not become an issue because the school
is using "Safe School'' money, and when the money supply runs out the
testing will end.

Lauck continued to say that the money is going towards good use, even
though they will not be able to maintain the program forever, because
it's giving the kids an out now when peer pressure is applied to a
situation.