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Marion School District 1 gets funds for random drug tests
Shireese M. Bell | Morning News Online | Apr 8, 2006

Marion School District 1 has become one of the 32 school districts in the nation to receive funding through a three-year Safe and Drug Free School and Community grant to implement a new mandatory, random and suspicionless drug and alcohol policy.

Students in grades 7 through 12 who play any school-sponsored sport are subject to random testing to help fight what Marion 1 Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Allread called a “significant community issue.”

Allread said she is proud to be in a school district where people have stepped forward to address this issue.

“I personally feel what we’re doing is a tiny step in battling the drug problem with our youth today,” she said. “Our school board, administrators, coaches, staff, parents and student athletes are to be commended.”
The school district will work with the Marion/Dillon County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse to carry out the new policy.

School district officials say the policy was created for three reasons: to protect the health of student athletes; to negate peer pressure by giving student athletes a reason to say no to drugs and alcohol; and to identify and refer for treatment those student athletes who test positive for drug use.

Considering the dangers and threats of student drug use, they hope the drug policy will serve to deter inappropriate behaviors, Johnakin Middle School Principal Patrice Davis Holmes said.

W.T. O’Connor, executive director of the Marion/Dillon County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, said this drug-testing program places student athletes in a win-win situation.

“Our student athletes are highly visible and can be under significant pressure,” he said. “This is another tool which strengthens their resolve in saying no.”

Marion 1 athletic director and head football coach Marty McIntyre said the program would be piloted this spring, with full implementation beginning in the fall.

McIntyre said when a student takes a physical to participate in a sport, he or she will be given a consent form to be tested.

Once all the names of student athletes are taken, ID numbers are assigned to each name and those numbers are given to the commission.
He said someone from the commission could come on an unannounced day to administer the test.

“This policy is just a way to show kids healthy lifestyles,” he said. “The dread of being tested could be a deterrent, and obviously that deterrent factor is working.”

McIntyre said officials presented the policy, which he said was well-received, to junior and high school councils, faculties and other groups.

The policy requires the student athlete who has been selected by a computerized program to provide a urine sample, which is sent to a lab to test for the presence of certain substances that might include, are not limited to, marijuana (THC), opiates, cocaine, methamphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), MDMA (Ecstasy) and/or any other substance defined as a “controlled substance” by either state or federal law. A Breathalyzer will be used to test for the presence of alcohol.

If a student is found to have a positive drug test, the student will undergo a drug and alcohol assessment and counseling sessions and be suspended from the team.

For the first positive result, the student is declared ineligible for a minimum of two weeks and must pass the next test before returning.
The student will be required to attend, but cannot play, all practices and games during the suspension.

If the student tests positive a second time, he or she is dismissed from the team and declared ineligible for the rest of that season and the season immediately following. For the third offense, the student athlete will not be allowed to play any and all sports for one calendar year.

Test results will have no effect on the student’s academic standing.
Marion High School Principal Alfred McFadden said implementation of this policy is an opportunity to offer support to the students who might be tempted to make wrong choices.

“If its implementation saves or deters one student, it will be worth the effort,” he said. “Putting our students in a safe learning and competitive environment continues to be our priority.”

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Buzzby

This is always the chant of those who want to take away our civil liberties. It's also against the principles on which this country was founded.

Tap citizen's phones without a warrant? If it stops one terrorist it will be worth the effort.

Checkpoints on public roads? If it stops one drunk or pothead it will be worth the effort.

Strip searches at airports? If it stops one terrorist...

Lose your license for month-old pot residue in your pee? (This one has just been enacted in my state, Ohio.) If it prevents one auto accident it will be worth the effort.

Ban cigarettes? If it prevents one case of lung cancer it will be...hold on that one. The government makes big bucks on tobacco taxes.

Thoroughly test Big Pharma's pills before "beta testing" them on the American public? If it prevents one heart attack...hold on this one too. We wouldn't want to interrupt the cash flow from campaign contributions.

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Sec

Why stop at athletics? Why not include ALL extracurricular activities: Band & choir competitions, Honor Society, Student Council, Pep Club, Those wanting to participate in field trips, Chess Club, Debating Team, Drama Club, School Newspaper Student Staff, Prom & Homecoming Decorating Committees, so and so forth. Why is an athlete any more susceptible to using banned substances than any other student? Why do they care more about athletes than any other student?

Is the purpose of this program to keep kids off drugs? Or is the purpose of this program to ensure only ATHLETES don't use performance enhancing drugs?

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nornerator

If the students at these schools refused to play on sports teams because of the new policy, it just might change some minds... although, that will never happen

FreeUpJahCure

I really think testing on student athletes only for these drugs are ridiculous. They might as well test the whole student population, for that matter even the school staff(If they already don't) because any one person is suceptible to using ANY drugs. The crazy part about that program is that it includes drugs that are not performance enhancing. There are not helping an anthlete in anyway, except in certain instances. For example; I remember when I was in high school, I use to play basketball on a team. I would get high mostly every day. Whether it was a regular day at school, practice, or game day. I found that when I smoked marijuana and then played basketball it helped me not only build stamina, but also coordination and endurance. But anyway that was just me and its not like there isn't any other way an athlete can do that drug free. I just feel that the schools should not implement programs like these because it improperly segregates against student athletes. If your going to test for drugs like sec3 said u might as well include honor society, student body, etc.. or the whole student population.
But I guess this is just 1 more way the government can get its "controlling hands" and "Drug free is the way to be" message across.

 

TheNewGuy

Maybe they just want to test atheletes to test the program in general, and then after the "great results" are seen, they can start testing everyone. Then some day you'll have to get piss tested to get your national ID card issued to you. Hooray America.

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"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~P.J. O'Rourke

GlutSow

This is completely rediculous. I just graduated 2 years ago and I know plenty of athletes who not only used, but in some instances were growing or selling weed. Here is a great example. I had a friend who wrestled in high-school and definately smoked just as much as anyone else. When wrestling season started, he would either completely stop or cut down his use significantly. He felt this helped his performance and increased stamina and lung-capacity (and it definately paid off considering he is currently going to a D1 school on a full scholarship!)

My whole point is he really didn't need anyone to tell him how and when to use marijuana. He did his own research and made his own decisions concerning his own life. If he had been tested and the results came out positive, he wouldn't be where he is today. In fact, he would probably not be doing nearly as good as he is now.