DRUG TESTS PONDERED FOR LINCOLN SCHOOLS

Suggested Policy Would Be For All Job Applicants, Taking Effect Next Year

LINCOLNTON - Lincoln County Schools would follow the lead of Gaston and
Charlotte-Mecklenburg districts if it starts requiring job candidates to
take drug tests next school year.

Superintendent Jim Watson started pushing for pre-employment drug screening
Monday when school board members started discussing giving random drug
tests to students in extracurricular activities. Although athletes now are
subject to random drug tests, he said he wouldn't want to test other
students if the district wasn't first testing job applicants.

Watson said not knowing whether teachers and other new school employees
would pass a drug test is something that's been bothering him since he took
charge of the district two years ago.

"It's an oversight on our part," he said.

Watson wants to spend about $13,000 per year to give drug urine tests to
the 600 to 700 people who apply for jobs with the school system each year.

The school board policy committee supports testing prospective employees,
but now Watson has to convince the budget committee. Last year, a
drug-screening program was tabled because of budget constraints.

"I'm not a prude," Watson said. "I realize our 1,600 employees are human.
Statistics bear out that there's a certain population that does abuse
drugs. The bottom line for me is just another safety net at the time of
employment."

All school districts in the state test bus drivers and other employees who
drive school vehicles because the law requires it, but policies regarding
drug testing for other school employees vary.

Gaston County and Charlotte-Mecklenburg school systems give all prospective
employees a drug urine test. Applicants who fail are ineligible for hire.

Cleveland, Shelby and Kings Mountain school systems only test employees who
are expected to drive buses or other school-owned vehicles.

"We felt like it might be a little bit intrusive for our employees," said
David Grose, spokesperson for Shelby City Schools. "In a small school
system, we can monitor and pay close attention to our personnel issues and
detect any problems or concerns. The systems who have had problems are the
ones taking a serious look at it."

Lincoln County school officials said the number of employees seeking help
for addiction through the district's employee assistance program has always
been small. Alcoholism, not drug use, is more common among the people who
use the program, said Walter Hart, deputy superintendent of human resources.

"The big issue is not whether or not it's appropriate or a good thing to
do, but more a question of whether or not it's something we have resources
to do given the budget constraints we're facing," he said.

The Union County school district tests staff members if officials have
"reasonable suspicion" of drug use. The 25,000-student district budgets
about $10,000 per year for the drug or alcohol tests and tests an average
of 150 to 200 employees per year, said Johnathan Moultrie, director of
support services.

Employees who openly seek help for an addiction can receive support through
a contracted company, said spokeswoman Luan Ingram. But those who test
positive for drugs after being screened at another employee's
recommendation can be fired, she said.

The Iredell-Statesville school district does not do urinalyses of new
teacher hires, but it does require them to get a physical. A medical doctor
must certify that they're fit for duty, said Deputy Superintendent Steve Lane.

Lane said teacher assistant applicants must take drug tests because they
also drive school buses. They are subject to random testing throughout
their employment with the schools.

Principals in the school district get tested also because they often fill
in for absent bus drivers.