A large crowd gathered inside the USD 320 Professional Learning Center on Monday evening to see how board members would vote on a proposed drug testing policy. (Staff photo by Andrew Shores)
Parents and citizens of Wamego packed into the USD 320 Professional Learning Center on Monday evening as the board of education took a six-to-one vote in favor of a proposed drug testing policy.
Starting this fall, students at Wamego High School who take part in athletics and activities sponsored by the Kansas High School Athletics Association will be subject to random drug testing done by hair follicle collection. While board members voted decisively, the issue has been contentious.
“It’s legally easier to do nothing,” said board president Rob Adams. The Kansas Association of School Boards and American Civil Liberties Union contested the district’s proposed drug testing policy. The district’s legal counsel reviewed the policy in an executive session before the public forum.
Board members proposed the drug testing policy at a retreat last summer, after a survey issued to students indicated 14% of students admitted to using marijuana within the last 30 days.
If a student were to test positive for an illegal substance, they would be suspended from participating in their activity for 14 days. A subsequent violation would call for a 45 calendar day suspension, while the third violation would ban a student for 180 days. The district would also issue three follow-up tests to violators every 90 days. Positive tests would be cumulative for a 90 day period.
Board members discussed the policy as the document — which an attorney amended before the meeting — was projected on a screen. The computer malfunctioned during the editing of the document
“We can all agree that we’re here because we care about kids,” superintendent Tim Winter said in a recess after the vote.
The drug testing program will be funded by the city special alcohol fund, private donations, and USD 320 monies. The city of Wamego had verbally agreed to commit $5,800 for calendar year 2018.
Board member Michele Johnson was the dissenting vote. During discussion, Johnson proposed including the option for parents and guardians to choose whether they wanted their students subjected to the drug testing. Johnson said regardless of her opinion on the new policy, she stands behind her board’s decision.
“I think everyone here wants our kids to thrive,” Johnson said.
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