FEDERAL DRUG-TESTING CASE COULD HAVE LOCAL IMPACT

A case pending in the U.S. Supreme Court concerning random student drug
screenings could prove the ultimate acid test for how far local districts
can go to fight drugs in schools.

Thursday, the Supreme Court agreed to take up a case originating in a rural
Oklahoma school district, where students involved in extracurricular
activities, such as the school choir, academic team, Future Farmers of
America and Future Homemakers of America, were subject to drug tests.

An appeals court said such testing violated the Constitution's ban on
unreasonable searches, while adding there was no evidence of drug use among
students who were subject to testing.

Locally, the board of education at Russell Independent Schools had
considered adopting a drug testing policy which included extracurricular
activities.

After much debate, the board eventually went with a policy that included
student athletes and students who drive to school, but left out those in
extracurricular activities.

The policy was adopted in July, refined in August and put in place for the
current school year.

Russell Superintendent Ronnie Back said the board's decision to drop
testing of students in extracurricular activities such as the Spanish club
or speech team was based on legal precedent.

"There was no justification in the courts for including those students,"
Back said. "There were those of us who wanted to test those students.
Really, we wanted to test every student, but there's just no backing in the
courts for that."

Should the Supreme Court uphold the Oklahoma school's policy of testing
students involved in extracurricular activities, the subject could reappear
at Russell, Back said.

"I think it would certainly be an item for discussion and consideration if
it came out that way," he said. "I don't know that the board would go
through with it. But anything that would impact our youngsters is open for
discussion."

School officials and board members were sensitive to legal issues while
devising Russell's drug testing policy, and Back said they will follow
developments in the Supreme Court case.

"We'll also probably be talking with our students and community about this
issue," he said.

Russell has conducted two waves of random drug tests so far this year, one
of which was completed last week.

The results for the most recent test are not yet known.

In the first wave, 18 students were tested, and all tests were negative,
Back said.

If a student should test positive, that student is required to enter
counseling in order to continue participating in athletics or driving to
school.

Boyd County is the only other school district in the area to have a random
drug testing policy.

At Boyd, only athletes are tested. While Russell athletes are subject to
testing all year, students at Boyd County are only subject to testing while
a particular sport is in season.

About 200 students at Boyd have been tested since the policy's inception in
1998, and five or fewer have tested positive.

The Associated Press contributed information to this article.