DRUG TESTS OK'D FOR ATHLETES

High school athletes will be randomly tested for drug use now that
the school board approved a mandatory drug testing policy for
student-athletes last Thursday. The vote was unanimous.

Parents and members of the White County Meth Task Force present at
the meeting thanked school officials for initiating the policy. No
one voiced opposition to the new policy at the school board meeting.

"If a (school) policy like this had been in place my daughter might
be alive today," said Melissa Adams whose daughter, Shannon Harter,
was killed five years ago in Harrison County, Miss. Harter's
boyfriend later committed suicide and is believed to have been
involved in her death. Adams said no one knew that her daughter's
boyfriend was using drugs at the time.

School board member Mitchel Barrett said he was concerned about
steroid use among student-athletes, and asked if student-athletes
suspected of using steroids could also be tested.

White County School Superintendent Dr. Paul Shaw said a decision to
test for steroids is up to the board. Currently the policy does not
include testing for steroids because of the cost involved, Shaw said.
Testing for prescription and other drugs costs the district $25 per
student, but an additional test for steroids would cost $150 per student.

"It's (the policy) not about being punitive, it's about helping
students," said White County High School principal Byran Dorsey.

Dorsey presented board members policy guidelines on how school
officials will handle a positive drug test result. A student-athlete
is given three chances, according to the policy. Should a student
refuse to test, then that refusal will be considered an automatic
positive test result.

If a student-athlete tests positive for the first time, that student
will be banned from 10 percent of the team's scheduled games. The
student's parents must prove that the student is enrolled in a drug
counseling program approved by the school principal. The student must
also agree to another drug test at the family's expense.

A student-athlete who tests positive for drugs a second time will be
immediately suspended from their team. The student must then
participate in a drug treatment and counseling program on a regular
basis for no less than four weeks. The student will not be considered
for reinstatement to their team unless they provide a negative drug
test result to school officials, continue with drug counseling and
agree to future drug testing on demand. The student athlete who tests
positive twice runs the risk of not being reinstated to team
athletics even after meeting the policy's requirements.

Should a student-athlete test positive for drugs a third time, that
student will be suspended from all interscholastic athletics.

Student-athletes and their parents can appeal to the school principal
within 72 hours of a positive test result should they disagree with
the way the policy has been applied.

Shaw and school faculty, including principals and coaches, have the
authority to implement drug testing procedures.

"I am in support of the school board's decision for drug testing,"
said WCHS football coach Gregg Segraves. "Testing is set up to help
the student-athlete if he or she has a problem. This will give our
drug free athletes a platform to be proud of the life they are living."

Board members also approved policies to monitor student-athletes
during hot weather, harassment and requiring written parental consent
for students to join school clubs.