Update: The Rose Hill School District holds off on voting on a plan to require random drug testing for students who want to participate in extracurricular activities.
The committee decided to investigate the matter further because drug policies are different at all of the schools.
They will discuss the idea more at the next board meeting.
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The Rose Hill School District is considering a mandatory drug testing for students. If passed, students who want to participate in extra curricular activities, like track and field or debate, would have to agree to random drug tests throughout the year.
Five other area districts already require these drug tests. Superintendent Randall Chickadonz says the goal is to give kids a reason to say no.
“So kids who are interested in those activities and don't want to jeopardize that now have a way to counter peer pressure,” said Chickadonz.
The issue of drug use came to the districts attention last year when police arrested a Rose Hill father and son for growing marijuana.
“It’s a father teaching son how to be a drug dealer in my opinion. It's overwhelming to think of that ,” said Butler County Sheriff Kelly Herzet.
Investigators found names in the home of other teens at Rose Hill High connected to the drug. Now a committee headed by concerned parents is looking to do its part to create a drug-free district.
“If it's to help kids say no and detur them, I think that can happen, and there's probably not a price you can put on that- that's very valuable,” said Chickadonz.
Mandatory drug testing does come with a price tag: $30 a test. Students involved in sports and clubs between 7th and 12th grade would be eligible.
“On a monthly basis, those kids that volunteer to be in those programs are put into a pool. A percentage of those are then drawn out and asked to give a random sample for testing for a panel of drugs,” said Chickadonz.
The superintendent says since so many other area schools already run these tests. It's about time they looked into too. The school board will makes its decision based upon some research put together by a committee.
If the committee approves the program, the testing could start as soon as next semester.
