School district postpones decision on drug testing

Boundary County School Board delayed voting on whether or not to institute drug-testing students in extra-curricular activities.

School board members Gil Hagen and Maria LaBarbera during a recent meeting asked to delay action.

“There are issues out there that bother me,” Hagen said. “I think it should be put off.”

“I’d like to postpone it,” LaBarbera said.

Law allows school districts to drug-test students who participate in extra-curricular activities. Other North Idaho schools that do drug screening include Coeur d’Alene/Lake City, Lakeland, St. Maries, Timberlake, Priest River, Grangeville and Post Falls.

The school board last fall agreed to form a committee to formulate policies for drug testing, in hopes of beginning the process for the 2008-09 school year. It would include students in seventh through 12th grades who are in athletics, clubs, band and choir.

Before forming the committee, school officials mailed surveys to 360 parents with students in ninth, 10th and 11th grades. Of the 115 who responded, 82 percent agreed there is a drug problem at the high school.

Of those parents, 67 percent believe random drug testing would serve as a deterrent; 84 percent don’t believe testing would result in their children choosing not to participate in extra-curricular activities.

School officials are considering a lottery. Students’ names would be placed in a hat and drawn randomly for testing. Names can be drawn more than once.

During the recent school board meeting, high school teacher Ed Katz addressed the board’s consideration to drug-test students. Katz noted that only 15 percent of the nation’s schools drug-test students.

He questions the effectiveness of drug testing after researching the matter. Katz noted that in some instances, when testing took place, drug-use increased.

“We’re dealing with extra-curricular kids,” he said. “Some would have to urinate to play the trumpet. Some kids would choose not to join. Some kids switch their drug of choice and binge drink and that doesn’t show up.”

School board chairwoman Melanie Staples said she believes drug testing would be a good thing.

“I’m still not comfortable with it,” Hagen said.

School board member Sulet Hiatt suggested Hagen discuss concerns with Staples.