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January 17, 2013

Drug testing Kosciusko students on the horizon for district

By Leslie N. Dees The Star-Herald

KOSCIUSKO — Kosciusko City Schools Superintendent Dr. Tony McGee and school board members discussed the implementation of drug testing policy within the district Monday night.

McGee, who was seeking the board’s input, said he hoped to have a policy for the board’s review in February and then possibly adopt the policy in March or April.

McGee had presented the board with sample policies and explained that a lot of schools are already doing drug tests on students who participate in extracurricular activities such as Choctaw County School District and Louisville School District.

“I think it’s something that we really need to look at for the district,” McGee said. “I think this gives kids an opportunity to maybe opt out of some situations.”

“We aren’t trying to ‘catch’ anybody, McGee explained. “We are trying to give them the opportunity to ‘Say No.’ ”

School board member Jennifer Cheek said a policy like this was in place when she taught in Lexington and that the students took it seriously.

To test a student, the district would pay a lab fee of $20 per student, which would be done in a lab.

McGee said  there’s a need for some decisions to be made such as how many students would be tested, how often would they test and should they test both junior high and high school students.

“Some districts (test) all extracurricular students and those that drive on campus,” McGee said.  

McGee explained that the  students would be assigned a number  and they would be randomly selected.

Should a student test positive, the school, coach and parent would be notified.

Also, punishments would need to be set if a student were to test positive in the policy.

School board president Kenny Dungan asked when testing day arrived, how would it be handled at the school.

McGee explained that the administer of the tests as well as a male and female teacher will be at hand. The teachers would get the  students from class.

It will be handled as discretely as possible, McGee said.

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