DRUG TESTS FALL VICTIM TO FUNDING

PROSPECT - The school board here has suspended the district's mandatory
drug testing program for student athletes, saying they do not have enough
funding.

The district must shave about $80,000 from its $1.6 million budget next
year, making the $1,500 spent on the urinalysis hard to justify,
Superintendent Don Alexander said.

"We are going to develop some kind of an interim policy without the
testing," he said.

One possibility includes a policy in which a student will undergo
counseling after a first drug offense, but would get kicked off the team
after a second offense, he said.

Alexander said the district is looking at drug and alcohol rules at other
county districts, including Ashland, which is revising its policy.

Without the testing, Alexander said, the district has the problem of
determining what is reasonable proof that an athlete might be using drugs.

"It's a tough thing," he said. "At some point, somebody's got to be
responsible for their actions."

The urinalysis looks for marijuana, opium, hallucinogens and
methamphetamines, but isn't able to detect recent use of alcohol. Alcohol
is considered by school officials and students as the most popular drug.

Butte Falls is the only district in Jackson County thatl requires student
athletes to undergo urine tests.

Butte Falls faces budget cuts of $170,000 out of its $2.3 million budget,
but has no plans to end the drug testing.