RV board discusses random drug testing students

Should random drug testing be implemented at Royal Valley to deter illegal drug use among students?

That’s the question school board members and Superintendent John Rundle hope to discuss among administrators, staff, students, site councils and community members this year as they determine whether it’s a policy that should be adopted at USD 337.

“The peer pressure that kids are under these days to do drugs and drink alcohol is great,” said school board member Jeff Stithem. “Having a policy gives students an out. They can say they don’t want to do drugs because they don’t want to get drug tested and kicked off the team. It gives them an excuse instead of them saying they don’t want to do drugs, which is a tough sell for kids sometimes.” 

Stithem researched drug testing policies at Santa Fe Trail and Seaman school districts over the past few weeks and discussed with Superintendent Rundle about putting the topic on the agenda for Monday’s board of education meeting.  

“I’ve reached out to Fred Patton, who is on the Seaman Board of Education, and he said he was really encouraged by the support from the community about the district’s new drug testing policy,” Stithem said. “

In early May, the Seaman board unanimously approved a new drug policy that would randomly test students next year at both the middle and high schools. 

Santa Fe Trail has had a random drug testing policy in place for one year. Royal Valley board members were given copies of those districts’ drug testing policies Monday evening, as well as additional newspaper articles on testing in those districts. 

“I want us to consider this,” Stithem said. “Read through these policies, call some of these board members and ask people in the community if they would support this. These policies were created to protect kids.”

Santa Fe Trail reported that it spent $6,691.73 on drug testing last year, which included 149 drug tests administrated by an outside agency. Of those tested, only one high school students tested positive, it was reported.

According to Santa Fe Trail’s policy, any student who participates in extracurricular activities, school organizations or is issued a school parking permit and/or uses the school parking lot will be subject to random drug testing, which is a hair sample. 

Parents will be given the results of the test within two to three weeks, and students who test positive will meet with their parents and the principal. A first positive test results in a one-week suspension from school activities. Additional consequences are outlined for second and third failed drug tests. 

“If you decided to head this direction, we would want this studied by a number of people including site councils and administration,” Rundle said. 

Board member Linda Hegemann agreed.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Hegemann said. “I think before we can go ahead and do this we also need some conversations amongst students and the community.”

Rundle said he talked with the superintendent at Nemaha Valley who reported that the district is having a similar conversation about drug testing in their community. 

“To my knowledge, there is no one in our league conducting drug testing right now,” Rundle said. 

Board members agreed to discuss a possible policy in October after discussing the issue with community members and administrators in the next few months. 

Rundle reported that, by law, all Kansas districts can and are required to conduct random drug tests on transportation employees since they are considered “safety sensitive personnel.”

The district cannot implement random drug testing on teachers or other employees because it is a violation of the fourth amendment, Rundle said. The amendment “prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and requires any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause.”

If district administrators have reasonable suspicion that an employee is abusing an illegal substance, however, a drug test can be requested, he said.

In other business, the board:

* Elected Pat Tuck as board president and Cindy Broxterman as vice president.

* Approved consent items.

* Set meeting times and dates for 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of August, January, March, April and June at the district office in Mayetta. The board will meet only on the second Monday during the months of September, October, November, December, May and July. The February meeting will be held on the third Monday of the month. 

* Designated Denise Murray as clerk of the board, Susan Pfrang as deputy clerk and Sherri Schulte as treasurer and public information officer. 

* Designated board member Boone Smith as governmental relations representative for 2015-2016.

* Reviewed the board of education agenda timeline.

* Adopted the board of education goals for 2015-2016 school year with minor revisions from the previous year.  

* Set a special board meeting for 7:30 p.m. on Monday, July 27, to approve a budget for publication. 

* Approved the final 2014-2015 budget report. 

* Designated Denison State Bank as the district’s official depository, The Holton Recorder as the official newspaper, Michael Unrein as the district’s official attorney, Rundle as the authorized representative for federal and state programs, Denise Murray as the KPERS representative, the building principals as truancy officers, Susan Pfrang, Katie Petesch and Paula Henry as school lunch determining officers and Rundle as the school lunch hearing officer. 

KASB Legal Services was designated as the nondiscrimination compliance officer. The board also adopted the 1,116-hour calendar. 

* Approved a motion to rescind policy actions of the previous year and to adopt all current written policies. 

* Approved resolutions to establish petty cash funds for each school office with a $750 limit, as well as petty cash funds for the district office with a $1,500 limit.

* Approved a motion to pay the district’s bills before the first board meeting of the month to avoid late payment charges. 

* Approved school, transportation and coaching handbooks as presented during the last meeting. 

* Adopted a resolution to approve the GAAP Waiver of financial accounting practices for 2015-2016. 

* Approved a resolution authorizing the destruction of certain district and school records as per state regulations.

* Agreed to offer three health insurance plans to employees through Lifestyle Health Plans. The three options include base deductibles ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 for a single plan and $5,000 to $10,000 for a family plan. The board approved the plans, but they still need to be ratified by the teachers, Rundle said. 

* Approved employment contracts for Neale Sutton as a bus driver and Darlene Dillner as the head cook at RVHS.  

* Adjourned the meeting at 8 p.m. All board members were present except Linda Hegemann who participated in the meeting via speakerphone.