Drug Testing Cost May Be Prohibitive Bonner School District Takes Another Look At New Policy
The Bonner County School District doesn’t have any cash to spare, but wants to spend thousands on a new mandatory drug testing policy for junior and senior high athletes.
Initially the district wanted to charge students to have their urine samples screened for drugs. To avoid a court challenge of the proposed testing, the district decided it would pick up the tab.
The test will cost about $20 per student. At Sandpoint High School, where about 580 students participate in athletics, the bill could run $11,600.
“That is no small expense. The district is not in the best financial shape now, and in my mind that is funding that’s not going toward education,” said school trustee Jerry Owens.
Trustees have already approved the drug testing plan in principle. The public, along with district principals and athletic directors, will have a chance to comment on the program Tuesday at 1 p.m. at City Hall.
Testing would apply to students in grades 7-12. To participate in any sport, students have to agree to give a urine sample which will be sent to a lab and analyzed for drugs and alcohol. Random tests will also be given throughout the year to athletes.
Bonner County would be the second district in the state to adopt mandatory drug testing. It is currently being done in Blackfoot, Idaho.
Bonner County’s program is modeled after one in Oregon. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a school district had the right to require students to submit to drug tests, said Bonner County School District attorney Sharon Black.
“To my knowledge, of all the school districts that have undertaken this, the districts are paying for the tests,” Black said.
The idea for a mandatory program was pitched by Ron Hopkins, the athletic director at Priest River Lamanna High. He started a voluntary program last year and had signatures from more than 100 parents who supported moving to a mandatory drug test.
Owens isn’t against the idea, he just wants the district to take a thorough look at the pitfalls and get public input.
“It’s a very complex issue. Personally I would be offended if I were a kid doing everything right and wanted to play baseball and was told I can’t play unless I pee in a cup,” he said. “That wouldn’t make me happy. There are some reasons to have it and some personal liberty issues not to.”
If the policy intends to help students, given them a reason to say no to drugs and not just catch them being bad, Sandpoint High School Athletic Director Jack Dyck said he favors the testing.
“My head is not buried so far in the sand that I’m saying we don’t have kids who do drugs, but I’m a little hesitant because I don’t perceive we have a huge drug problem,” Dyck said. “Still, if this is going to help kids not do drugs, then there is not a better way to spend our money.”
Many details about the testing still have to worked out. Black said it’s unclear who will collect the samples. Some district employees are hesitant about having to watch a student produce a urine sample, fearing accusations of sexual misconduct.
It’s possible the school nurse may be assigned the task, or the testing could be done by a private firm off school grounds, Black said. Students may also have their urine tested for drugs when they receive physicals from their own doctors.
If students test positive for drugs or alcohol they can either be suspended for the remainder of the season or agree to six weeks of drug counseling.
The district wants to adopt the policy and begin testing students in the next two months. Owens cautioned against rushing into the new program.
“We need to take our time with this one,” he said.
, DataTimes