RANDOM TESTING OPPOSED

Screening teachers for drugs in Aspen unfair, group says

The Aspen School District superintendent's suggestion that teachers undergo
random drug testing is unreasonable, the Colorado Education Association
says.

No other teachers in Colorado are subject to random, mandatory drug tests,
said Jeanne Beyer, spokeswoman for the statewide teachers group.

"In individual instances, there is drug testing, but it's for a reasonable
cause," Beyer said. "But that does not translate into random drug testing."

Aspen Superintendent Tom Farrell made the suggestion Monday because of
concerns about teachers as role models after two recent drug incidents.

Amy Cord, a language teacher at Aspen Middle School, was arrested near a
nightclub early Jan. 31.

Cord was charged with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

A March 18 hearing is set for Cord, who is still teaching at the school.

This month, two middle school boys, both 12, were suspended because another
student said they had cocaine.

Since the school is located outside of Aspen, the sheriff's department
searched the facility for cocaine, but didn't find any. The investigation
remains open.

Earlier, Farrell had said there was no direct link between the cocaine
allegations and the Cord case, but expressed concerns about teachers as role
models.

The random, but mandatory, drug testing would involve a negotiated contract
agreement with district teachers, he said.

Only school transportation workers are subject to mandatory, random drug
testing at this time.

"We were asked to comment and we thought the suggestion was very strange,"
Beyer said. "There should be testing only if an administrator has a reason
to believe a teacher is using drugs."