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Schools

School Board rejects drug test grant

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published November 22, 2006

INVERNESS - The School Board just said no.

It said no Tuesday to a four-year federal grant that would have paid for random drug testing of some high school athletes. It said no to a national study that would have let the federal government evaluate drug use among Citrus students.

And, for the first time, a majority said no to the idea of testing athletes - no matter how such testing was funded.

Three of the five board members said the board will overstep its authority if it required students to submit to random drug tests as a condition to play sports.

"Just because we can, it doesn't mean we should," said board member Pat Deutschman. "We're reaching into peoples' homes and reaching into kids' lives outside of school. If we could do that, I would put a device in every kid's car to keep them from speeding, and I would make sure they all have condoms in their bedrooms."

The board did not hold an official vote to abandon the policy, but superintendent Sandra "Sam" Himmel said she took the majority's dissent during Tuesday's workshop to mean that she should pursue other options.

"I just think (a random drug testing program for athletes) was a good way to be proactive with a consequence," Himmel said. "It was not the cure-all. It was just one more resource."

The board's decision came a day after Himmel announced her displeasure with the conditions attached to a federal grant that would pay for the testing.

It also followed months of community debate over the legality and appropriateness of the program. At an emotional forum, some parents called the testing intrusive and a waste of taxpayers' dollars, while supporters said it would discourage drug use, particularly among students who are easily susceptible to peer pressure.

On Tuesday, the board swiftly agreed to turn down $317,000 from the federal Department of Education. Members said they were not comfortable with letting Citrus high schoolers participate in a national study that would evaluate the effectiveness of drug testing.

The study called for surveying drug use at all three county high schools and would not have guaranteed the students' anonymity, officials said.

Once a survey had been taken, the district would have had to agree to test 50 percent of athletes at two high schools. Himmel wanted to randomly test 25 percent at all three high schools.

Deutschman seemed annoyed that the district applied for a grant before getting the board's advice.

"It would have saved everyone a lot of time and energy and angst if we knew this is what (the federal government) wanted to do," she said. Next time, "we better make sure that we are in agreement before we fly to Washington, D.C., have a big public meeting and invest all kinds of energy on this."

When the board moved to discuss whether it wanted to pursue drug testing in general, Deutschman and fellow board members Lou Miele and later Ginger Bryant said they wouldn't support it.

"My main objection is that we're the school system, not the police department," Deutschman said.

Miele said he hadn't found any evidence showing that drug testing discourages students from using drugs or alcohol.

"I spent many hours on the Internet to find something that tells me drug testing of athletes is effective, and it's not there," he said. "There has to be better ways to curb drug use in our schools."

Board member Linda Powers supports any program that helps keep kids away from drugs, she said, but she needs to see more research that drug testing works.

Bill Murray was the sole board member who sharply argued in support of drug testing, saying it would even the playing field for athletes and improve the cohesiveness of sports teams.

Eddy Ramirez can be reached at 860-7305 or eramirez@sptimes.com.

[Last modified November 22, 2006, 06:27:00]