Wahkiakum School District revisiting drug testing

Two years after the Washington State Supreme Court ruled Wahkiakum School District’s random drug testing program for middle and high school athletes was unconstitutional, the district is considering offering urine drug tests to students suspected of being under the influence of or using controlled substances at school.

The Wahkiakum School District Board took public comment and questions at its regular meeting December 16. The parents, members of the Wahkiakum Community Network and staff from Wahkiakum County social service programs in attendance supported testing students as a tool in an effort to curb what students say is a serious marijuana problem.

Discussion centered around making the process fair to students in a small community and assisting students with substance use problems.

The policy was developed after Wahkiakum Community Network youth asked board members at their September meeting for help in preventing youth marijuana use.

“After the students came to us with concerns, how would it look if we did nothing?” said board chair Tony Boyce.

Since then, school administrators, a school board member and teachers have taken a two-day Drug Identification Training for Educational Professionals, which prepares them to act as a team in identifying physical symptoms of use of controlled substances. The entire school staff, including bus drivers and janitors, had a shorter training. If a student is suspected of being under the influence, he or she would be referred to members of the assessment team.

If student admits he or she is using, current disciplinary protocol outlined in the Student Handbook will be followed, which reduces the student’s suspension significantly if they seek a chemical dependency assessment and follow recommendations.

If the student denies using, he or she may submit to a urine test. If the test is positive, the student seeks appropriate assessment and follows recommendations, disciplinary penalties are reduced. If the student denies they are using and refuses the test, he or she is subject to disciplinary action as noted in the student handbook.

Students could seek services at Wahkiakum Health and Human Services or go out of the community if they choose. Wahkiakum County Mental Health Director Chris Holmes said the county agency is required to bill insurance, but no and low cost services are also available.

High School Principal Dan Casler said, “If someone is using, we can deal with it under district policy now,” noting several students had been identified prior to the training. Casler said he has heard from one parent with concerns about the proposed policy.

Josh Grasseth, who said he has been in law enforcement for 10 years, voiced concerns about parents who would not agree with the staff’s findings and how to keep the process confidential.

Leeann Grasseth, who said she provides drug testing to students in Oregon where random testing is allowed, asked detailed questions regarding the types of tests to be used and how the board planned to address false positive results.

In 1999, Hans and Kathryn York and Paul and Sharon Schneider, parents of three high school students, sued the district after their children were randomly tested. They claimed the program violated the students' civil rights because there was no basis for suspicion that the students were using drugs or alcohol, and case law developed under the Washington State Constitution prohibits suspicion-less drug testing.

The state Supreme Court ruled against the school district in March of 2008.

Garrett said the proposed policy should fit within the law.

“We don’t want people to think we’re rushing into this," he said. "We want community input.” The board will take pubic comment at its meeting January 19 and hopes to have a draft policy available for review at the February, 2011, school board meeting.

In other business, Garrett said the budget details released by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire “look bad” and he is analyzing the impact.

Garrett said he is strategizing how and when to spend federal stimulus funds of $108,909.

The district will participate in “Safe Schools Lifeline” an Educational Service District 112 sponsored program that offers a toll-free number that anyone can call with concerns about a student’s thoughts of suicide or about school violence, such as bomb threats or vandalism.

The information is gathered by an operator and routed either to emergency services or to school officials within 24 hours. The number, 1-866-Live-Tip, will be in operation at the first of the year, Garrett said.