AURORA SCHOOLS LOOK AT RANDOM DRUG TESTING

The Aurora Board of Education is considering implementing random drug
testing for junior high and high school students involved in
extracurricular activities.

Some residents who turned out to an information session Tuesday night
on the plan wondered why faculty won't be subjected to the tests as well.

Superintendent Dale Slagle told the crowd of about 50 that when the
district looked into the matter several years ago, legal advisors
said they probably couldn't make teachers submit.

The law allows for students to be tested only if they wish to
participate in extracurricular activities, and that is different from
a teacher who is trying to earn a livelihood, he said.

Resident Karen Caldwell said she believes the district ought to at
least look into testing coaches, as they are setting examples for students.

They, too, she said, are participating in something extra than their
regular job.

Coaches are often classroom teachers who gain an extra stipend for
their extra duties.

"I think it's worth looking into again," said Caldwell, mother of two
Aurora High School graduates. "I think it would be disappointing if
the rules weren't the same for students doing extracurricular
activities as they are for teachers."

The proposed policy would call for five junior high students and 10
high school students to submit to random urine testing each month.

The screenings, conducted by Employee Screening Services, would pick
up marijuana, cocaine, opiates and amphetamine.

If the initial test was positive, a second test would be performed to
confirm results.

Though the presence of alcohol could show up in a urine test, alcohol
does not stay in the body very long, said John Throckmorton of
Employee Screening Services. Marijuana can be detected up to 30 days after use.

The district does not plan to test for alcohol, said Slagle.

Student Body President Erik Peirce, a senior, said he thought it
would be a good idea to include teachers, but a bigger issue was
expanding programs to help students.

The district lost the DARE program that he went through when he was younger.

"After a student is found positive, they maybe should have a program
for those kids besides just kicking them out of sports or an
extracurricular activity," he said.

"Maybe once a year we have one drug assembly. All freshman are
required to take health, and they talk about drugs in that class," he
said, when asked about the district's current programs.

"We have drug-free week, but that is nonsense. They hang up posters
that say 'Tobacco is wacko.'"

Sis Ann Broyles said before the meeting that she didn't believe the
Aurora board was even considering testing teachers. At a recent MSTA
conference, however, the issue was hotly debated.

It was brought to the table by a delegate from Nixa, where the board
is considering implementing testing for teachers, she said.

"In the end, the majority of people voted for MSTA to not support
random drug testing for teachers," Broyles said. "But they were divided."