SAME STANDARDS SHOULD APPLY

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.

A good example of what we mean was the reported arrest this week of a Jenks
elementary school teacher. Police arrested this woman after finding
cocaine, marijuana and hallucinogenoc mushrooms in her home along with
methadone and drug paraphernalia.

She has taught school five years, including fourth grade four years and
second grade this past year. Even though this woman has not been convicted
of anything, it may be a good reason for state legislators to take a look
at changing the law.

Lindsay Earls, the former Tecumseh student who was one of two who
challenged the drug-testing policy, tested negative after she was chosen
randomly to take the test. She took the board to task because she believed
that her rights were being violated.

Drugs are not only a problem but they are a menace to our society today.
Studies and surveys across the country will indicate various levels of the
amount students are experimenting and experiencing drug use.

Most studies fail to survey adults, however, and we wonder what those
results might be.

Many private and public businesses and industries require drug testing
today as a condition of employment. Some even require part-timers and
interns to take these tests before they are hired. Random testing varies.

But it would seem appropriate that the Tecumseh School Board insist on a
new policy for faculty and staff, including administrators. It's extremely
important that those we entrust with our students on a daily basis be drug
free just as much as those to whom they are mentoring.