HARTSELL: DRUG TEST POSITIVE

But Superintendent Defends Previous Statements

One of the two students who collapsed at Hartselle High School March 4 had
drugs in his system, a fact contrary to earlier statements made by some
school officials.

Superintendent Lee Hartsell said tests on one of the students revealed he
had marijuana in his system. According to Hartsell, the student said he
smoked the drug several days before he and a classmate, both members of the
school's baseball team, collapsed in a school hallway.

Drug tests on the other student were negative. Because they are minors, the
names of the students have not been released.

School officials had earlier been quoted as saying tests on both students
were negative. Hartsell defended those statements.

"Our investigation showed no evidence of anything that happened at the
school," Hartsell said. "If we found something that didn't happen at the
school, then we have no jurisdiction over that. If it happened at school it
would have happened to both kids and that just wasn't the case."

Hartsell's admission is the latest chapter in a lengthy battle that has
pitted school administrators, parents and students against the city council.

The incident came to a head Monday when Mayor Clif Knight and members of
the city council attended the school board's meeting.

Knight questioned why Hartsell told him one of the tests came back positive
yet told media that the results were negative.

"Why the contradiction?" Knight said.

Hartsell said he stood behind his statements and supported the way his
staff handled the issue.

"I stand behind (HHS Principal Jerry Reeves) and his staff," Hartsell said.
"Do we have kids who use drugs? Yes. Do I think we have a widespread
problem at the high school? No."

School Board President Susan Puckett also defended the school's actions.

"Administrators behaved properly," she said. "The screening profile did not
indicate that drugs contributed to the physical problems experienced by the
athletes.

Misrepresentation was not the intent of this board."

Reeves joined parents, players and coaches who turned out at a recent city
council meeting to protest Councilman Allen Stoner's call for an
investigation into the incident.

At that council meeting, coach William Booth said he did not feel drugs
were a problem for his team.

"No one has come to me and asked me if (the baseball team) had a drug
problem. We may have an isolated case but we will weed those (students)
out. I expect more out of my athletes than I do any other students," Booth
said.

On Monday, Stoner criticized Booth for making those comments.

"What happened at the city council meeting was disgraceful," Stoner said.
"The king took the stage and all of his subjects roundly applauded him. It
really concerns me that one of your (the board's) employees directly
attacks the council and brings all his ballplayers with him. It made a
mockery of city government."

That same city government will soon be making a decision on the next school
board member. The council names members to the board but has no authority
once they are appointed.

Board member Tom McHugh's term expires June 1. He and two other people have
applied for the spot.

"We're going to give serious consideration to our next appointee,"
Councilman Dick Carter said.