DRUG TESTS LIKELY FOR ALL EXTRA ACTIVITIES

Committee To Make Suggestion For Morgan High School Students

A committee will recommend the Morgan County Board of Education test high
school students who participate in all extracurricular activities for drugs.

The committee reached a consensus on that Wednesday afternoon.

School system Director of Counseling and Health Clara Swader estimated
testing grades nine through 12 would involve about 1,000 students. Testing
of students seven through 12 would involve about 2,000.

The committee could not, however, settle much more on a drug-testing
program during the meeting.

More Information Needed

Superintendent Don Murphy wanted the group to decide if the school system
would follow Hartselle and Decatur and test for tobacco.

But several committee members said they did not know enough about the
accuracy of testing for tobacco to make a decision.

Murphy said he wants each student involved tested once to start the
program, followed by random tests.

But the committee members pointed out two problems:

a.. Some sports like basketball, golf and baseball do not pick their teams
at the start of school. a.. There's no set time that students join many
noncompetitive extracurricular activities. Test three times?

Murphy suggested the school system test three times, coinciding with the
start of school and the start of winter and spring sports seasons.

Murphy also wanted to the committee to consider the penalty phase of the
testing program, which led to considerable disagreement over the extent the
penalties should reach.

The committee was unable to reach a consensus before several members had to
leave because of previous commitments.

Murphy asked the committee to study drug-testing policies of Decatur,
Vestavia Hills and Arab school systems before its next meeting later this month.