The College Station school board is considering the return of random drug and alcohol testing for some students.
The district’s chief administrative officer, Greg McIntyre, told the board this week this is a student health and safety issue, along with using this as a deterrent.
Testing was also described as a way to offer students credible means to resist peer pressure, and to provide a source of information to parents of any student who may be using illegal drugs, performance enhancing drugs, or alcohol.
This week’s proposal would cover students in extracurricular activities, those who want a parking permit, and students whose parents want their children tested.
Administrators propose no involvement by law enforcement, and test results would be provided only to parents or guardians and designated district employees.
Board members Quinn Williams and Mike Nugent received calls from residents supporting testing shortly after the agenda was posted.
A list of questions from board president Jeff Harris included the cost, how students will be selected, will this lead to more student success, how to deal with test results that are “false positives”, will tobacco be included with other substances, should the policy also include students driving records, and the results of drug testing in the 1990’s.
Click below to hear some of the comments from CSISD administrators and board members from the March 20, 2018 meeting.