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Proposed Zoning Changes For Baldwin County Schools
By Steve Alexander Reporter
Published: Mon, May 26, 2008 - 8:24 pm
Steve Alexander
The board is set to hear a recommendation from Superintendent Roy Nichols to start drug testing some students at four schools this fall.
The testing would take place at Vigor and Theodore High Schools and Burns and Denton Middle Schools.
The proposal calls for testing students who participate in extracurricular activities, drive vehicles on campus, or whose parents voluntarily sign them up.
Board Member Ken Megginson likes the idea.
He said, "We're not in the catching business, we're in the prevention business. We want those children to be able to say 'I'm not going to try this, I'm not going to do that, because if I do, my school is drug testing and I might be caught.' "
Under the plan, students who test positive the first time wouldn't be able to participate in extracurricular activities for 30 days or drive to school.
They'd also be encouraged to take part in drug education programs with their parents.
The plan initially calls for urine tests done by an outside firm.
Megginson added, "Its not costing the school system any money. We're getting money from the (Mobile County) Sheriff's Department and (Mobile) Police Department. We're also hoping that maybe the district attorney or Prichard Police Department may help us with their drug money."
According to the plan, the eleven other high schools in the system would begin testing in the spring semester.
The Mobile County School Board meets at school board headquarters Tuesday at 6 pm.
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If they are so short of money, they need to focus resources. Why does it have to be random? Parentis en loci, test the ones you suspect. And when testing reveals drug use… what will be done? Is the district going to offer treatment? What’s the point of identifying a symotom if you wont address the need? I agree, test the teachers, too. I wonder what would be found. When I did my student teaching, my mentor told me “EVERYONE ON THE HALL” was on one drug or another.