District considers breathalyzer
The Whitefish school board June 14
renewed the district’s drug testing policy, but tabled a change
that would allow for breathalyzer tests to be administered on
students at school activities.
The district will continue its
opt-in/opt-out program for random drug testing of students
participating in extracurricular activities. It will also continue
its reasonable suspicion policy that allows for the testing of any
student believed to be under the influence.
Superintendent Jerry House said the
policy is about educating students.
“That’s why we got into this whole ball
game,” he said. “We’re taking a stand and it’s the right thing to
do.”
Trustee Shannon Hanson was the sole
vote against renewal. He voiced his opposition to the policy, in
general. He said he didn’t want the school to be an “authoritarian
base.”
“I get we have to take a stand as a
community,” Hanson said. “I don’t want to have a reputation as a
school with a breathalyzer.”
Several trustees voiced their support
for the drug testing.
“Our community has a reputation for
being the drug and alcohol center of the state,” trustee Charlie
Abell said. “This is the school showing we are concerned about
those issues from a community standpoint.”
House reported that of the roughly 500
students who participated in school activities, about 41 percent
chose to opt-in this past school year. Twenty-five students were
tested during the year and all tested negative for drugs and
alcohol.
“We’re providing a service that’s an
opt-in,” trustee David Fern said. “If a significant number of
parents and children want to participate, it’s worth it.”
The district has two drug policies.
Under the first, parents and students who participate in
extracurricular activities have the option to sign a voluntary
contract, which allows the district to perform random drug testing
during the school year. The second policy allows the district to
test any student that is considered to have reasonable suspicion of
being under the influence.
The board plans to continue discussing
adding the use of a breathalyzer under its reasonable suspicion
policy. If approved, the breathalyzer would be used at school
functions such as athletic events and dances. The breathalyzer
would not be used on every student, but would be administered if a
student were believed to be using alcohol. Police and parents will
be contacted if the student tests positive.
A few trustees wanted to know the cost
of the breathalyzer before approving its purchase.
In a separate vote, the board approved
extending, for two years, an oversight committee that monitors the
drug-testing program. Trustees Hanson and Ruth Harrison voted
against the extension.
House recommended the extension stating
that the committee has insufficient data to determine if the
testing program is effective.
“We’d like to try and see if it goes
over 50 percent participation,” House said of the opt-in/opt-out
program.
The board asked if there was any trend
found in whether or not a student might participate.
House said various teams have a higher
rate of testing while others have a low rate. The overall attitude
towards testing of the team members and the coaching staff likely
determines the rate of participation.
“If a coach advocates really strong one
way or another kids are going to reflect that coach,” he said.
Hanson noted that while the committee
needs more data to determine if the program is effective he pointed
out that there’s no data to compare to before the program
began.
“Do we have any way to see if this is
working?” he asked.
House admitted that determining if the
program is effective is difficult at this point because it is
voluntary. More study is needed, he noted.
“We’re trying to get more kids
participating,” he said. “We have a tool to change their lifestyle.
We’re trying to find a trend for Whitefish High School.”
The committee reported that the
reasonable suspicion policy seems to be an effective policy. The
staff is more willing to identify and refer students that may be
under the influence. The referrals seem to have curtailed some of
the abuse witnessed in the past, the committee noted.
During the last three school years,
there have been 50 incidents in which a student has been referred
for further evaluation. About a dozen of those students were
actually tested for use. After being referred many of the students
admitted to being under the influence.
Students with a positive test are
suspended for three days for the first offense. A second offense
results in possible expulsion of not more than 45 days and a third
offense results in automatic expulsion from the district.