Drugs, a fairly small word with a big definition, a definition of something that can result in death.
Schools all over Indiana do random drug testing to make sure their students are safe. PHS however does not do drug testing and Principal Casey Brewster will answer that question.
“We haven’t seen a big need for a drug testing policy here,” said Brewster.
Indiana says that the school does have control over who is tested but if an injury occurs then the staff member must be tested. Also anyone who drives with a commercial driver’s license must be tested.
Any drug testing policy would have to go through the school board of trustees where they would decide who would be drug tested in the schools. The reason for this is because all policies are taken to the school board first to see if they are really needed.
“Would the policy included extracurricular activities; students who drive to school,” said Brewster. “The school board would have to decide what students would be tested.”
Other schools in southern Indiana do random drug testing.
“I know schools 30 to 40 miles away from us do, Mitchell does for example,” said Brewster.
In the Paoli Corporation, there are employees who are drug tested.
“Bus drivers are randomly drug tested each year,” said Brewster.
Anyone who has a commercial driver’s license has to be randomly tested according to the state of Indiana. This is done not only to keep students safe but also other motorist safe.
Teachers or other faculty get tested if they are injured here at school, this is a mandatory test. Injury could be a result of a staff member using drugs and that is why teachers are tested.
Students or athletes who are caught with drugs are expelled from school. According to the handbook if an athlete is caught with drugs the coach will have to discipline that athlete.
“If students are caught with drugs it would break the school policy and the student would also then be involved in the court system,” said Brewster.
Students do not currently drive have to pass a drug test to drive to school or to play sports.
“Being completely honest, I do not think students should have to pass a drug test,” said Brewster. “If I did then I would recommend it to the school board, I do not feel strongly about having a drug testing policy.”
This could change if the problem got really bad here at school.
Other schools around PHS that drug test are Mitchell, Crawford County, Salem and West Washington.
Salem drug tests all clubs, extracurricular activities and anyone that drives to school. Salem high school does this because they do not want any use of drugs involved with their school system so they do imply a drug testing policy.
While West Washington drug tests bus drivers, custodians and coaches. West Washington does not drug test their students because they do not feel the need to do so.
Students from Mitchell and Crawford County are tested randomly for drugs.
Students are here at school are not tested randomly because the school does not believe that it has gotten that serious yet, but things could definitely change.
Story by Shelby Waynick
