IF STUDENTS HAVE TO BE TESTED, SO SHOULD FACULTY, STAFF

Tecumseh's Board of Education scored a major victory last week when the
U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of its drug testing students involved in
extracurricular activities. Little did we know then, however, that the
board doesn't require faculty or staff, other than bus drivers, to take
drug tests as a condition of employment. The school district doesn't do
random testing of faculty or staff members as is in place for the students
involved in athletics and extracurricular activities.

The Tecumseh school board's attorney, Linda Meoli, says that state law
prohibits teachers from being drug tested randomly or upon suspicion,
although the board does have the authority to conduct pre-employment
testing. But once employed, the board doesn't have authority to require
further testing. This hardly seems fair. The school board was adamant in
taking this to the highest court in the land based on the principle that
the policy was justified. It was also costly for the school district but
the ruling will affect school districts throughout the nation.

Now, the school board needs to take it a step further and at least require
that all faculty and staff, including administrators, be drug tested as a
condition of employment.

This would help set an example for the students. Faculty and staff are not
necessarily exempt from drug problems any more than the students they teach
and serve as mentors. We'd think that faculty and staff would have no
problem with such a policy unless they are using drugs.

It's extremely important that those we entrust with our students on a daily
basis be drug fee just as much as those to whom they are mentoring.

- -- The Shawnee News-Star