Vote Possible On Oak Creek High School Random Drug Testing

OAK CREEK, WI — The Oak Creek-Franklin joint school board will convene during a regularly-scheduled meeting Monday, Feb. 12 evening to discuss and possibly vote on a proposal to introduce random drug testing for high school students.

The proposal calls for students involved in athletics co-curricular activities and those with parking passes to be subject to random testing.

According to district documents, the purpose of the random drug tests for select students is to help direct students away from drug and alcohol use, while identifying users of drugs and alcohol so that the appropriate interventions happen.

According to an Oak Creek-Franklin policy draft dated Nov. 27, the policy states that the District "will test for the presence of certain substances which may include, but are not limited to, the following: alcohol, metabolites of nicotine, marijuana, opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, performance enhancers, phencyclidine (PCP), or any other substance which is defined as a controlled substance by the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, Wis. Stat. S.961.001 et seq. and as subsequently amended, unless that substance has been taken pursuant to a legal prescription."

Under the proposal, a student with a parking permit who tests positive will have their parking permit revoked for the remainder of the school year and lose their parking fee. A student in athletics or co-curricular activities is subject to the district's activities or athletic code.

That code states that "a participant who purchases, possesses, uses, delivers, or attempts to deliver, distributes or sells controlled substances, as defined in Wisconsin State Statutes will be temporarily or permanently excluded from the activity. The same applies to possession or use of drug paraphernalia or the improper use of legal substances." Similar language also applies to participants who purchases or uses tobacco or alcoholic beverages.

Perception Not Reality

In a January 22 report to the board, there is a perception that "many" high school students have been involved with alcohol or other illegal drugs. " There is a saying that perception is reality, but it is hard to find credible data supporting this view. In any case, one youth involved is too many, but what steps to take in response to the magnitude of the problem," the report stated.

According to the report, of the 12 Oak Creek High School students that have been disciplined so far this year for alcohol or drugs, only two were involved in extracurricular activities. The report suggested that those who "make the poor choice to possess contraband substances at school are not generally engaged in athletics or activities. They are generally disconnected from school life."

Image Via Oak Creek Patch.com