EDGECOMBE SCHOOLS TO CONSIDER DRUG TESTING

The Edgecombe County Board of Education will meet Monday to discuss new and
revised school policies and the purchase of new equipment as officials
prepare to kick off the 2003-04 school year.

Board members will hear proposals to establish a comprehensive drug testing
policy for all high-school athletes and a new student promotion policy. The
board also will consider revising the code of student conduct, student
accountability standards and the handling of student records.

The proposed drug testing policy would require athletes in all high schools
to consent to random drug testing in order to participate in any athletic
programs.

Administrators will ask the board to approve a few changes to the student
conduct code. One of those adjustments is changing the length of suspension
for students caught in possession of drugs from five days to 10, if the
student and his or her parents agree to complete an approved substance
abuse treatment program.

Another addition to the conduct code prohibits students from making false
or idle threats that would potentially cause serious harm if acted out.
Violation of the rule would lead to a suspension for the remainder of the
year and the incident would be reported to police.

Several maintenance and equipment issues also will be addressed Monday,
including the replacement of a canopy at Carver Elementary School and the
purchase of 20 Dell computers for SouthWest Edgecombe High School. The
computers cost $18,939 and will be used in a business education classroom
at the school.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the board room of the schools
administration building on Pearl Street in Tarboro.