GROUP - NO EXPANSION FOR DRUG TESTING

Committee Ignores High Court Ruling

Decatur City Schools' drug test committee recommended Tuesday that proposed
random tests not be expanded to include students participating in all
extracurricular activities.

The committee ignored the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision that allows
inclusion of all after-school activities, choosing rather to focus on just
"competitive" extracurricular activities like athletics, band, JROTC and
debate team.

"We felt we had to start somewhere," Decatur High School head football
coach Jere Adcock said at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting.

"We wanted to focus on the safety aspect, and these are competitive
activities in which students have to travel. A coach or sponsor will know
he has a good group of students traveling with him."

Adcock acknowledged the committee could have followed the high court's
decision but chose to start small and part of the reason is financial.

Superintendent Larry Walters estimated the cost at between $20,000 and
$25,000, but he is unsure of the exact costs. He said how much the program
costs will depend on how extensive the tests will be and which drugs are
included.

"We can go further if need be," Adcock said. "Most school systems are
testing just athletics, so we feel like we're expanding on what most
already try to do."

The committee, which met Monday to review the Supreme Court decision and
comments from two public hearings, suggested the random tests include
testing for tobacco, including cigarettes, cigar and smokeless tobacco.