us schools testing, page-2

.....and one from 13 hours ago:


More drug tests for schools

Board considering expanding tests to include administrators. Tuesday, April 15, 2008

By PRECIOUS PETTY The Express-Times

BETHLEHEM | Bethlehem Area School Board members in February approved pre-employment drug testing for teachers and now have their sights on other district employees.

School directors spent part of Monday's human resources committee meeting reviewing drafts of pre-employment drug testing policies for the district's administrative and support staff.

Associate Superintendent Robert Gross said the policies are identical except that each refers to a different group of employees.

School director Irene Follweiler said she favors the proposed policies and noted that such testing has become the norm in many industries.

"I'm unaware of an industry that doesn't already have it," she said. "I think it's in line with any career that anybody would be going into."

School director Charlene Koch also supports drug testing more of the district's future employees but questioned whether the practice will be effective.

"If somebody really wants to use drugs, they can get around the test," she said. "I don't think it's going to be a foolproof method."

Gross said the new policies likely will be up for a final vote at this month's regular board meeting.

Since the policy for prospective teachers has been in place, about 12 applicants have taken drug tests, he said. The testing kits were sent out to a lab Friday and the results hadn't come in Monday, Gross said.

The kits, made by city-based OraSure Technologies Inc., cost the district $16 each, he said. That figure includes the lab analysis for kits that show an applicant has not used drugs, Gross said.

Kits that show an applicant has used drugs cost the district slightly more, he explained.

Gross said the district's 2008-09 budget will include enough money for 400 kits. The kits don't expire, so any left over can be saved until the following school year, he said.

The Bethlehem Area School Board first considered enacting a drug-testing policy after John Acerra's arrest.

Acerra was the Nitschmann Middle School principal until February 2007 when police arrested him for selling crystal methamphetamine at his office. He later pleaded guilty to using and dealing drugs on the school's Bethlehem campus.

Acerra is serving a two- to four-year state prison sentence.

Reporter Precious Petty can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at [email protected].