BARBERS HILL EYES POLICY FOR DRUG TESTING

MONT BELVIEU - The Barbers Hill School Board believes there is a drug
problem prevalent in the district's schools and plans to implement a
drug-testing policy to combat the issue.

A draft of the policy was presented to the board of trustees during a
workshop session Thursday.

"We don't want to catch anybody, we just want to deter the kids from using
drugs," said trustee Jaime Harvey.

The school district plans to conduct random drug tests on all middle school
and high school students involved in athletics and cheerleading. The
program would be voluntary for all other students.

According to the policy draft, "All students in grades 7-12 who participate
in an interscholastic athletic program or in a cheerleading activity or who
choose to participate voluntarily in the student drug-testing program shall
be subject to random testing at a frequency and at a rate to be determined
by the school administration."

The school district recently conducted a survey of middle school and high
school students regarding the use of drugs and alcohol. According to the
survey, 40 percent of high school students and 21 percent of middle school
students said they had used an illegal drug; 25 percent of high schoolers
and 17 percent of middle schoolers said they had been offered drugs at
school; and more than 50 percent of high schoolers and 30 percent of middle
schoolers said they considered drugs to be a problem at the school.

All athletes, cheerleaders and students who volunteer for the program will
be tested at the beginning of school. Then tests will occur randomly
throughout the year, Sonnenberg said.

Testing positive during the drug tests carry a variety of consequences.
Each time a student tests positive, their parents are notified and they are
required to attend a drug and alcohol counseling program. The student and
his or her parents will also be required to attend a conference with a
principal, coach or anyone else involved with the student's activities. The
student will also continue to be tested for one calender year.

Upon a second offense, the student will be suspended from all
extracurricular activities for a minimum of 30 days. The student will be
required to attend all practices and meetings, but will not be allowed to
compete or participate in any performances.

"We want to keep them involved," Sonnenberg said. "We don't want to throw
them out on the street."

Upon a third offense, the student is suspended from extracurricular
activities for one year, but must still attend meetings and practices.

A fourth offense results in the student being barred from all
extracurricular activities and social events, such as school dances, for
the remainder of high school attendance.

Also according to the policy, students who refuse to submit to drug testing
will be considered as having tested positive.

Harvey said cost of the testing or any legal challenges to the district's
policy will be worth while if they can save one student's life.

"If we can just turn one kid around, then we've done what we set out to
do," he said.

Sonnenberg said a legal challenge to the district's policy is a concern,
but he believes the district will be in good standing.

"We've based our policy on pretty solid legal precedent," he said.

Sonnenberg said the district will continue to look for other legal
precedents that will affect the district's policy. The district is watching
one case which is scheduled to appear before the United States Supreme
Court this year.

In Earls v. Board of Education of Tecumseh Public School District, the 10th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Tecumseh school district's drug
testing policy was unconstitutional. The school district required mandatory
testing of students involved in any extracurricular activity, not just
athletics.

If the Supreme Court overturns that ruling, Sonnenberg said the school
board may expand its policy in the future to include more students.

The policy has not officially been approved. The school board must hold two
public readings of the policy before it can be approved. The first reading
will be held at the district's next regular board meeting, Feb. 26.

According to a preliminary timeline, the policy would be implemented at the
start the new school year in August.