WEB EXTRA Polson holds random drug testing forum

Nearly 75 community members attended a forum last week, to gain information and give comment on the possibility of a random drug testing policy for extracurricular activity participants within the Polson high and middle schools. 

Public comment from parents, law enforcement officials and school staff raised many questions for the committee. Many speakers stressed that they believed testing should be school wide. Many were also concerned about alcohol use by students.

Several disagreed with the proposal due to exclusion, privacy and technical worries.

The board of trustees received a petition, signed by 150 community members suggesting the implementation of a drug testing policy. An ad hoc committee formed in response to the petition, and has begun looking into similar programs throughout the state.

Testing committee chair Vernon Finley began the meeting with comments on the main issues, legal, social and procedural, that would be involved in a drug testing policy.

Exact testing policy has not been set, “whether it’s random or not is one of the issues,” Finley said. How often and who administered the tests, along with questions of liability and penalties for positive tests have not been set.

Finley said the parents who signed and filed the petition have volunteered to pay for the tests. He said other schools contacted by high school principal Rick Rafter “basically . . . all had positive comments,” about testing policy.

“By no means is this committee unanimous on anything,” Finley said.

Polson High School track coach Bob Gunderson was the first to suggest the testing be implemented across the school.

“Really, I’m for testing the whole school,” Gunderson said.

Gunderson’s comments drew applause and murmurs of agreement from the audience, and a majority of comments mirrored the want for testing to reach beyond extracurricular participants.

Finley said at the end of the meeting that testing the entire school is not an option. A 2002 Supreme Court decision has ruled that because extra circulars are a privilege, not a right, testing can be done. School, however, is a right.

Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy, and former school resource officer, Lance Ewers began the public comment session saying that he thinks the if it is done right, it is a “great idea.” Current SRO Kim Leibenguth spoke later, saying that testing would be “positive reinforcement” for students and agreed with many that “testing should be all across the board.”

Barbara Monaco, chief juvenile probation officer for the 20th judicial district, commended the board for “stepping up to an issue that is in our community, that our kids deal with everyday.”

She said at the forum that certain tests are available for $6-$7, also stressing that testing across the board is not a possibility. 

Finley said on Monday that the committee will move forward by reviewing and discussing the public comments. He will give updates at monthly board of trustee meetings. The next scheduled meeting is on Monday, Feb. 9.

In a later interview, Monaco said that depending on the kind of test the school decided to use, the cost could run up to approximately $21.

She said it was encouraging to hear the board addressing issues like these for students at a younger age.

“The younger they are, I think you have a better ability to address their problems and concerns,” Monaco said.

Several Polson High School students spoke, raising questions of cost and how the punishments for positive tests may lead students further down the path of addiction.

High school parent Bryan McDonald said he would “hate to see kids singled out” by random drug testing, and that the policy might be “opening a can of worms.” “I wish it was as easy as doing random drug testing, but I know it’s not,” McDonald said.

Others raised concerns about the gray area of the definition of extra circular activities.

In total 32 community members spoke, the majority agreed it was a problem that needed to be addressed, but all had different questions, concerns and comments on how working to create a drug-free school environment would be achieved.

Finley closed by reiterating that the board wants to “broadly address the drug issue,” and that putting the issue out in the open to look at it from a “variety of angles,” is important.

He said he agrees with the sentiment of testing all students, summing the concern up by saying, “basically this sentiment is that we have a problem.”