http://www.polkcountydemocrat.com/artic ... ugtest.txtSchool Board Adopts Mandatory Drug Testing For Student Athletes
By R. J. DWYER, Staff Writer
Students participating in athletic competition at Polk County high schools will have to submit to mandatory random drug testing next Fall, and some of them will have to face the testing as soon as this Spring.
The school board voted 6-to-1 to allow for the testing. The policy change was in response to a grant awarded to the county by the U.S. Dept. of Education to provide funding of more than $200,000 a year for drug testing over the next three years.
Random drug testing for student athletes will be implemented at all Polk County high schools and Santa Fe Catholic High next Fall. This Spring, testing will begin at seven high schools: Bartow, Fort Meade, George Jenkins, Frostproof, Kathleen, Auburndale, and Lake Region.
A majority of the board members and public speakers wanted the drug testing to be across the board for all students, but school board attorney Wes Bridges informed them that testing all students was in violation of the U.S. Constitution's fifth amendment.
"Students are required to attend school, so you cannot require them to potentially incriminate themselves," said Bridges.
"I'd like to test everybody," said Board Member Jim Nelson. "But I'm not going to go against the Constitution."
Commissioner Kay Fields also voiced her disdain with the inability to test all students.
"In that area, the Constitution stinks," said Mrs. Fields.
Mrs. Fields was the only dissenting vote on the policy change. She disagreed with limiting the testing to athletes and not extending it to all extra-curricular activities.
Mrs. Fields also questioned placing the final disciplinary say solely upon the principal of the school.
"The majority of schools in Polk county have good principals . . . but there are a few who might not be so good," said Mrs. Fields. "I will not support putting the final say in the one person's hands."
Board Members Hazel Sellers and Margaret Lofton called the plan a "first step in combating drug use in schools."
Board Member Brenda Reddout criticized the lack of a provision for treatment and the failure to deal with performance enhancing drugs.
She also criticized the language of the policy for "stereotyping student athletes as role models.
"I'm not sure this is the way to go," said Mrs. Reddout, before eventually voting to adopt the policy change.
Mrs. Sellers tried to dispel the argument that athletes were being singled out and targeted.
"Sports requires physicals, so in some ways, we already have singled them out. This just takes it further," said Mrs. Sellers.
"We are not targeting athletes," said Mrs. Lofton. "We are implementing a grant. We received a grant to drug test student athletes."
Mrs. Lofton cited a previous drug testing program that took place at George Jenkins High School.
"This plan is very similar to the plan at George Jenkins and according to the data, it was very successful," said Mrs. Lofton.
Chm. Jack English voiced his support and stressed the need for abstention from drugs and alcohol, citing a personal example of how his sister would still be alive if not for a drunk driver.
"I think it's a great policy," said English.
For something that has spread with all the forethought of kudzu, the Internet isn't half bad."
-- Newsweek, 2/27/95
