Background and Purpose
Drug abuse is a serious problem. Schools, including Crane R-III School District, are not immune. Even students in extracurricular activities are increasingly using alcohol and are experimenting with “street drugs” such as marijuana and methamphetamine.
The educational program and drug testing program described in this policy are part of an overall attempt to give the students of the Crane R-III School District an option to not participate in the use of any type of drug. The goal is not to punish but rather to aid in the discovery and prevention of possible drug-related problems. The key component of this program is opening the lines of communication between students and parents about the serious matter of drug usage and abuse.
A student using drugs is a danger to him/herself as well as other students. All students in the Crane R-III School district who choose to participate in extracurricular activities and those who choose to park on school property are entitled to do so in a drug-free environment.
As a condition of participating in extracurricular activities and receiving a parking pass to park on school property, middle and high school students and their parents must consent to random drug testing of the students as further defined in this policy and administrative procedures.
This program does not affect other policies and practices of the Crane R-III School District in dealing with drugs or alcohol use or possession where reasonable suspicion is obtained by means other than the mandatory and random sampling discussed here.
All students who will participate in extracurricular activities during the school year and who complete and return the consent forms within the deadlines set by the superintendent or designee will be included in the testing pool and may be selected for testing as soon as the student is officially enrolled in the drug testing program, even if the extracurricular activity has not yet begun. If a student is 18 years of age and living with a parent/guardian, he/she still must have both student and parent/guardian signatures. If the student is 18 years of age and has established a residence on his/her own, the student’s signature is all that is required.
Definitions
Co-curricular Activity or Group: A covered activity or group primarily involving students and occurring outside of academic class time, where
The subject matter of the activity or group is or will be taught in a regularly offered class;
The subject matter of the activity or group concerns the body of courses as a whole;
Participation in the group is a requirement for a course; or
Academic credit is granted for participation.
Non-curricular Activity or Group: A covered activity or groups primarily involving students and meeting outside of academic class time, which are not co-curricular.
Driving: The ability to drive and/or park on school grounds is a privilege we provide for our students. This is an activity that will be defined under extracurricular activities at the Crane R-III School District.
Covered Activities: Activities regulated by the Crane School District and/or the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA).
Drug Testing: Testing for alcohol and illegal or performance-enhancing drugs.
Participation Days: Each day that the extra-curricular group meets, regardless of whether that meeting is a practice, a group meeting or an event. 15
Parent-Requested Permission
Parents of students who wish for their student to participate in the drug-testing program may voluntarily enroll the student in the district’s program even if the student is not involved in extracurricular activities and does not park on school property. The student will be placed in the drug pool and noted as a voluntary participant. If selected and the test is positive, the parent will be notified of the positive test, but the student will not be penalized through this policy or the student disciplinary policy of the Crane R-III School District.
Privacy and Confidentiality
The testing method to be administered will be urinalysis. Appropriate steps will be taken to respect the privacy of students while, simultaneously, preventing falsification of testing. Upon receiving a notice from the administration that the student has been selected for a random drug test, the student will go to an assigned area and wait unit it is his/her turn to produce specimen. A representative of the Crane R-III School Administration or School Nurse will be available during the testing procedure.
Prior to being called by the test administrator (from the pre-established drug testing company), the student will proceed to the testing site. The student will present the identification number to the test administrator, who will record that number on the test’s recording form. The test administrator will then ask the student to remove hats and outer garments (if any) and place the contents of the pockets on the testing table. The student will be allowed to return any non-containers to his/her person. The student will then be asked to select a collection cup and instructed to open the cup and dump the contents on the table. The test administrator will accompany the students to the restroom, where the student will be instructed to place the collection cup on a ledge or counter and then wash his/her hands. The test administrator will have placed blue dye into the toilet in the restroom and will have taped off all but one sink, prior to the student testing or as the student is washing. When the student finishes drying his/her hands, the test administrator will instruct the student to step into a pre-selected stall and void into the collection cup. The student will also be asked not to flush any toilet or use any faucet. The test administrator will then step out of the restroom, or behind the restroom outer wall, until the student completes the void, comes out of the stall, and places the collection cup on the pre-arranged flat surface.
When the test administrator re-enters the restroom, he/she will take the collection cup and determine if there is a sufficient specimen to test, that the specimen has an appropriate temperature, and that there is no foreign color or odor to the specimen. (If any of the above takes place, the test administrator will reject the specimen and collect a second specimen). If the specimen is acceptable for testing, the student will be asked to again wash his/her hands and then stand by the entrance of the restroom (keeping the specimen in his/her sight). The test administrator will then open a screening test device and place it in the specimen. When the test administrator completes the screening process, the student will be permitted to leave the test area, unless the initial screen indicates the presence of a drug included on the school’s testing agenda. If the screening test indicates a positive screen, the verification process will be implemented. Each urine sample will split specimens. This means that each sample collection will be placed into two separate samples.
If a student is unable to produce a urine sample, the student will undergo a time limit of three (3) hours in order to produce a sample. At that time if the student is still unable to produce a sample, the student must make an appointment with a doctor to see if a medical reason exists to explain the inability to produce a urine sample.
The test results will remain confidential and will only be released to the student, his/her parents or guardians, and approved school officials. Regardless of a positive test or not, parents will be notified through a letter that their child was randomly tested at school that day. In addition, the test results will not be used for student discipline and will not become part of the student’s permanent record/transcript or communicated to any other party. All files regarding the participants in the program, as well as test results, shall be kept strictly confidential and will be kept separate from the mandatory school files required for each student. If the student tests positive, the results will only be used to determine eligibility for participation in extracurricular activities as defined in this policy and for eligibility for a student parking pass. The results will not be used to suspend or expel a student from school, will not be included in student’s disciplinary record, and will not be communicated to any other party unless the school district is subpoenaed. Parents may voluntarily place their child in the random sampling drug testing procedure.
Verification of Sample
Verification of sample will vary with the drug testing company that is hired to do random testing with the school district. The testing will be in three separate stages to make sure there is validity.
Disclosure of Other Medications
Upon confirmation by a SAMSHA – certified laboratory of a positive specimen, the parents of the student will be asked to bring any prescription medications the student is currently taking to a meeting with the designated school official. The official will then verify with either the school nurse or the test administrator (or the administrator’s company representative) the validity of the medication producing the positive result. If the medication produces a legitimate medical reason for the presence of the drug, the results will be deemed as negative. If there is not legitimate or acceptable medical explanation, the positive result will remain. Proof of medication can be given through the presentation of a prescription bottle or through doctor verification.
Activities included in the Drug Testing Policy (not an inclusive list) :
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Softball |
Basketball |
Track |
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Baseball |
Band/Choir |
Scholar Bowl |
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Speech/Debate |
Drama |
Parking on Campus |
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FCCLA |
FFA |
FBLA |
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NHS |
Any extra-curricular trip/field trip |
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Consequences
First Offense The first time a student tests positive under the random drug testing program, the student shall be suspended from participation in all covered activities for a minimum of twenty (20) participation days (summer participation can only count for ten (10) of the participation days) and must pass a drug test administered by the district, at student expense, prior to participating in covered activities again. Students who are enrolled in a class that involves co curricular activities will remain in the class during the suspension period and may participate in classroom activities, but may not participate in any activities outside of the regularly scheduled class time. If because of the suspension, the student is unable to participate in an activity, which constitutes a portion of the student’s grade, the student will be given the opportunity to complete alternative assignments so that the student can earn the same grade, as he or she would have had if allowed to participate in the activity.
Alternative First Offense With the consent of the student and his or her parents/guardians, the superintendent or designee may reduce the suspension so that the student is only prohibited from participating in covered activities for a total of ten (10) participation days as long as the student meets the following requirements:
Within one (1) week of the conference, the student must receive or be enrolled in substance abuse counseling from an alcohol and drug abuse agency that is certified by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. The parents/guardians are responsible for all costs associated with the counseling. The parent/guardian must provide written verification that the student has been seen by the alcohol and drug abuse agency at least once before the student is allowed to begin participation again. If the student does not attend counseling as promised, the district will immediately implement the original consequences.
The student will be required to submit to drug tests every time the district conducts random drug testing on other students for the next six testing months. This may carry over to the next school year.
Second Offense Students with two (2) positive test results for drugs or alcohol will be prohibited from participating in all covered activities for a minimum of ninety (90) participation days (summer participation can only count for ten (10) of the participation days) and must pass a district-administered drug test district prior to participating in covered activities again. Students who are enrolled in a class that involves co curricular activities will remain in the class during the suspension period and may participate in classroom activities, but may not participate in any activities outside of the regularly scheduled class time. If because of the suspension, the student is unable to participate in an activity, which constitutes a portion of the student’s grade, the student will be given the opportunity to complete alternative assignments so that the student can earn the same grade, as he or she would have had if allowed to participate in the activity.
Alternative Second Offense With the consent of the student and his or her parents/guardians, the superintendent or designee may reduce the suspension so that the student is only prohibited from participating in district-sponsored activities for a total of sixty (60) participation days as long as the student meets the following requirements:
Within one (1) week of the conference, the student must receive or be enrolled in substance abuse counseling from an alcohol and drug abuse agency that is certified by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. The parents/guardians are responsible for all costs associated with the counseling. The parent/guardian must provide written verification that the student has been seen by the alcohol and drug abuse agency at least once before the student is allowed to begin participation again. If the student does not attend counseling as promised, the district will immediately implement the original consequences.
The student will be required to submit to drug tests every time the district conducts random drug testing on other students for the next six testing months. This may carry over to the next school year.
Third Offense Students with three (3) positive test results will be prohibited from participating in all covered activities for the rest of their enrollment with the district. If because of the suspension, the student is unable to participate in an activity, which constitutes a portion of the student’s grade, the student will be given the opportunity to complete alternative assignments so that the student can earn the same grade, as he or she would have had if allowed to participate in the activity.
In order for the student to be reinstated to extracurricular activities and/or park on school property, he/she must take another drug test at the expense of the school district. This test must show negative for drugs in the system. The lab testing facility must be pre-approved by the school district, and the test must include the substances tested for in the school testing program. The student can attend practice sessions, continue to attend team functions and sit with fellow participants during the activities but not participate. After a student tests positive for illegal substances, he/she will be subject to non-random testing at the request of the administration for the remainder of the student’s participation in extracurricular activities and/or parking on school property in the designated student areas for the current school year.
Drugs that Crane R-III School District maybe testing for:
Cocaine-COC
Marijuana-THC
Amphetamine-AMP
Methamphetamine-mAMP
Opiates-OPI
Phencyclidine-PCP
Benzodiazepines-BZO (Xanax)
Barbiturates-BAR
Oxycodone-OXY(Hydrocodone)
Methadone-MTD
Propoxyphene-PPX?(Darvon)
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-MDMA(Ecstasy)
The school district will pay for all random drug screenings. Samples will not be screened for the existence of any physical conditions other than prohibited drug and alcohol use.