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Camden School Board Tables Decision on Drug Testing Debate Will Continue on July 12, Pending a Look at Other Options Affecting Students in Interscholastic Activities.

Posted on: Thursday, 14 July 2005, 15:00 CDT

KINGSLAND -- The Camden County school board tabled a vote on drug testing for some middle and high school students at Tuesday's meeting, saying they want to look at other options.

"We all know this problem should be solved in the home, but it's not," said Jean Marie Brazell, a school board member. "It does infringe perhaps on students who don't use drugs. We're struggling to do the right thing."

School board member Doug Benton said the drug problem in Camden schools is probably "a bigger problem than we know of," but he wanted more questions answered before he could vote on the issue.

"I'm still asking questions today," he said.

It's the second time in a month the school board tabled a vote to test students in grades 7 or higher for drugs if they participate in interscholastic activities such as athletics, band or academic competitions sanctioned by the Georgia High School Association.

All students who apply for a permit to park on high school property also would be tested for drugs. The issue will be discussed again at the July 12 school board meeting.

St. Marys lawyer John Myers told board members during the meeting's public comment period he opposed the proposal, describing it as "an invasion of privacy."

"I think this is an ill-advised action by the school board," he said. "I don't think you have as big a problem as you think you do."

Lucy Hunter, assistant superintendent of curriculum and administrative services, said there were 71 incidents of substance abuse reported during the last two school years among the district's nearly 10,000 students.

Though the incidents represent about 1.5 percent of the student population, Hunter said the goal is to decrease the number of drug- related incidents in county schools.

"The purpose is to encourage a drug-free lifestyle," she said.

Schools Superintendent Ann Proctor said the drug problem exists in all segments of the student population.

"I think there is drug use by students who fail, students who get straight A's, by athletes, by non-athletes," she said.

Myers also questioned the school board's estimate that drug- testing as many as 1,400 students would cost $30,000 a year, saying the program would force the district to hire at least one full-time employee and possibly more to administer testing.

Proctor said it was important to use certified drug testers to ensure the tests are administered properly to avoid any problems, if the program is approved.

Students failing a first drug test would be required to undergo counseling with their parents. Failure of a second test would result in a 45-day suspension from the extracurricular activity a student participates in. A third failure would result in suspension from extracurricular activities for one year.

Kingsland resident Dennis Keith said school administrators may not be targeting the correct student population to test for drug use.

"The people you are testing may not be the right people," Keith said. "Do you have the right audience?"

While school administrators said drug test results would remain confidential, with only parents of students failing the test being told, Keith questioned if school administrators had an obligation to contact authorities under certain circumstances.

"What happens if a kid identifies other kids using drugs?" he said.

School board member Jimmy Coffel said drug prevention should be the job of parents but the responsibility has been passed off to school administrators.

"How do we get the parents involved so we don't have to do this?" Coffel said. "How do we stop this?"gordon.jackson@jacksonville.com, (912) 729-3672

Source: Florida Times Union

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