School Drug Testing Survey Gets Strong Response
More than 300 people took it on the first day of the week-long program. Still no public comments by residents at the BOE meeting.
More than 300 people responded to an online survey on the school district’s random drug testing policy in the first hours after it was posted on the district’s web site on Monday.
School board member Thuy Anh Le said at Monday’s board meeting that she was “delighted” that 336 people had responded to the survey on the first day it was posted.
“We need your input,” Le said. “It’s the only way we have to get the pulse of the community.”
The survey is on the school district’s home page. Superintendent of Schools Jorden Schiff said the survey will be posted for a week.
The survey asked whether the program should be kept or ended. The survey also asked what measures the school district should employ to curb alcohol and drug use, including the use of Breathalyzer tests at school functions.
The board has reserved time on the agenda of its last few meetings for public comment on the future of the program, but only one person has directly addressed the board.
A vote on the program has been tentatively scheduled for next month.
At the July 9 board meeting, Thuy Anh Le, chairwoman of the committee, said the recommendation was made after reviewing the program’s results since it was implemented in the 2008-09 school year.
Le said the program showed “inconclusive reports” and the goal of an annual 5 percent reduction in drug use was not met.
But the board tabled a vote on ending the policy after members failed to reach a consensus and decided more input from parents was needed.
The target population of the tests were students in grades 9-12 who were involved in athletics, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, had parking permits and those who chose to participate in the program with parental consent. That totaled about 94 percent of the school’s enrollment.
In the 2011-12 school year, 50 students were tested and six positive test results were found. The tests revealed marijuana use.
In the 2010-11 school year, 199 students were tested and eight positive results for marijuana were recorded.
In the 2009-10 school year, 189 students were tested and seven positive results for marijuana were recorded.
In the 2008-09 school year, 200 students were tested and five positive results for marijuana and opiates were recorded.
dubious
11:35 am on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The survey is nice, but simplistic for such a complex issue. I also am concerned that parents don't exactly understand what the policy is, despite the printing of it below the three questions. An interpretive statement, like the kind that are provided for budget questions in elections, would have been helpful, as would more pointed questions like, "If you think the policy should be CHANGED, but NOT eliminated, how would you do so?" And then provide space to do that. This survey is more of a referendum (yes or no) than an opinion or input survey.
Alexis Devan
10:02 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
650 drug tests to reveal a handful of high schoolers were smoking pot? GAY AND FAGGOT
centurion
11:10 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Do they also test for PEDs?
Edward P. Campbell
2:35 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
No. The cost associated with across the board PED testing is extraordinary high. It would raise the cost per test 40 or 50 times, and then still not be 100% accurate. These tests look basically for alcohol and marijuana only. Seems some of the BOE members get their rocks off catching a kid who smoked a joint in the privacy of his own home two or three weeks ago. I wonder if they then don’t run out and have a drink or two, or three, or four, to celebrate their victory?
Too bad the BOE don’t concentrate on delivering great education at a reasonable cost. Maybe then we could all see a reduction of a couple hundred bucks a year on our taxes, with improving test scores.
One might also question how much money is spent with the drug testing company, and how hard it will lobby to keep this program enacted? I trust they woun't take BOE members out for a drink or two, to talk about it!
Mary Hollister
12:24 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
So whatever happened with this?