School District Considers Ending Drug Testing Program

NewsMiner.com

http://www.newsminer.com/news/alaska_news/article_6425fef4-79f7-11e2-b9f2-0019bb30f31a.html

A mandatory drug testing program for Juneau’s (Alaska) high school students involved in extra-curricular activities might end in an effort to save the district money.

Eliminating the three-year-old program is one of a handful of cuts the Juneau School District has proposed to reduce spending by about $1.75 million in 2014.

“It’s disappointing that any time there are budget cuts, some of the first things that get attacked are extra-curricular activities, elective classes, things like that,” said Robert Casperson, coach of the Juneau-Douglas High School boys’ basketball team.

Drug testing costs the school $45,475 a year. While that makes up a small percentage of the school’s annual budget, it’s also equal to about half the cost of employing a teacher, according to the Superintendent Glenn Gelbrich.

The program started as a way to help deter students from using drugs and alcohol. It received very little opposition from students, parents or faculty. If a student-athlete tests positive for drugs, alcohol or tobacco, he or she is ineligible for the rest of that sports season and has limited eligibility in other sports. The program is not aimed at checking for performance enhancing drugs.