Whitefish OKs school drug-test plan
The Whitefish School Board on Monday cautiously moved forward with a drug-testing program for the district, approving the first reading of two policies - one for extracurricular participants and the other for the full student body.
On a 4-3 vote, the board approved a random drug-testing policy for students who participate in extracurricular activities, but it is strictly an opt-in voluntary policy, board chairman David Fern said. The testing will be done throughout the school year only on students who wish to participate.
"The idea is it gives families the security knowing there's potentially a more fail-safe way of holding kids accountable to training rules," Fern said. "The thought is there's an added incentive with testing, not knowing when testing will occur. It's an attempt to lower a high number of students involved" with alcohol and drug use.
The board made it clear it wants no coercion involved with the opt-in policy, and part of the plan is to have an oversight committee of community and school representatives.
Students who don't opt in will fall under the district's current policy that already sets consequences for drug and alcohol use.
The split vote means there will be much more discussion to come on the opt-in voluntary policy, Fern said. Those who supported it included Fern, Brian McDowell, Mike Ferda and Shannon Hanson. In opposition were Ruth Harrison, Erik Hosek and Pat Jarvi.
First reading of the extracurricular policy included an amendment that will make some curriculum changes and add a professional assistant to help administer the policy. A second reading will be held at the board's July 8 meeting, and additional readings are possible before it's finalized, Fern said.
THE SECOND policy establishes a suspicion-based testing policy for the entire student body.
"Up until now we haven't had the tools to deal with suspicion," Fern said, explaining that the new policy would allow the district to be "more proactive" in dealing with drug and alcohol use.
Hosek and Hanson voted against the second policy.
Suspicion-based testing would be done quickly, with a trained response team ready to assist. Under the current policy, if a teacher or administrator suspects a student is under the influence, the parents and/or police are called and they deal with the problem.
"The school's mission is not necessarily to get over-involved," Fern said.
But drug- and alcohol-related infractions among Whitefish students are double what they were last year. According to one estimate, one-third of Whitefish High School students who were surveyed had used marijuana in the 30 days prior to the survey. That's 13 percent above the state average.
The drug-testing proposal became controversial in Whitefish, with more than 100 people attending an April work session and 200 people attending a community forum before that.
Details about how to pay for drug testing still need to be worked out, Fern said. The district has a commitment from a group of medical professionals willing to put up $15,000 a year for testing, but the board has questions about how long that funding might be available.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com