HARTSELLE SCHOOL PANEL COULD RECOMMEND NO DRUG POLICY

HARTSELLE -- The committee the school board appointed to adopt a random
drug-testing policy has the option of recommending that there be no drug
policy.

That is what Chairman Susan Hayes told the committee at Monday's meeting.

"We could recommend that the board use the money on other things, like drug
education in school," Mrs. Hayes said.

"There are still issues about whether we want to do it at all."

Her statement surprised some of the committee members, who thought their
mandate was clear.

Greg Dobbs is the band representative. He said the committee needs to first
decide whether there should be a drug policy.

"I don't want to spend all summer meeting, then we decide that we are not
going to have a policy," he said.

Cleo Stubbs, the community representative, agreed with Dobbs.

"We need to narrow the focus of where we are going," he said. "Until we get
a legal ruling, we need to strictly test athletes."

Barry Hamilton is the parent of athletes at Hartselle High School.

"We need to decide whether we are going to develop a policy or not,"
Hamilton said. "Education should be done by the school counselors."

Mrs. Hayes, who is assistant principal at the high school, said the
committee should entertain all ideas and then make a decision on
recommending a policy to the school board.

The committee's next meeting is July 1 at 6 p.m. at the central office on
College Street.

The board appointed the committee after a baseball player tested positive
in March for marijuana use.

The school board said it could not take any disciplinary action against the
student because it could not prove that the drug use took place in school
or at a school function.