FILE: IDFAA
STUDENT DRUG TESTING
The Sabine Parish School Board in an effort to promote the health and safety of students who participate in athletics and other extracurricular activities, and in an effort to preserve and maintain a positive learning environment, shall mandate a program of drug testing for all such participants. Athletics and other extracurricular activities are not an essential part of the educational process and thus not mandated by the Sabine Parish School Board. However, the safety procedures required of participants are freely embraced by parents and participants as opportunities to minimize injuries to the participants and to others who participate in those activities.
The Sabine Parish School Board's purpose is not to invade the privacy of the student participant, but rather to identify a health problem or controlled substance dependency which would be counterproductive to the safety of the participant and his/her companions.
DRUG TESTING PROCEDURES
Prior to participating in any Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) sanctioned sport, all high school and junior high student athletes, activity members and their parents/guardians shall be required to sign the LHSAA Substance Abuse/Misuse Contract and the Sabine Parish School Board Student Consent form. Students eligible for testing who are not affiliated with an LHSAA sanctioned sport and their parents shall only be required to sign the Sabine Parish School Board Student Consent form. These arrangements state that all student athletes and activity members shall be subject to random drug testing.
All students eligible for testing shall be drug tested at the beginning of each school year (before last school day of August.) Then, all athletes, including managers, shall be drug tested as a group in a unified manner at the beginning of each individual sport or group participation and be subject to testing in the randomly selected pool each quarter. All students eligible for testing participating in a spring sport shall be drug tested again in a unified manner before the first individual or Spring sport. Students who participate in the designated extracurricular groups (DECG) shall be tested prior to that group’s first official performance/contest of the school year, and shall be subject to random testing.
Therefore, designated extracurricular groups shall be as follows:
Athletes
Band/Choir groups
Cheerleaders
Dance/Drill Team
Any student who drives to and from school
It is the position of the Sabine Parish School Board and its schools that participation in a school DECG is a privilege and carries an added responsibility of representing the school in a unique way. Therefore, these tests shall be strictly enforced and participation shall be mandatory, since the parents/guardians have freely chosen to allow their child to participate in the DECG activity. No student shall be tested unless both the parent(s) and the student sign a form giving permission to have the test performed. By signing, the parent(s) and the student acknowledge that they have consented to the administration of the test and waive any claim of an invasion of privacy and waive any objection to the necessary action in the furtherance of these safety proceedings. The refusal of a student/parent to allow tests to be administered shall serve as acknowledgement that the student has voluntarily chosen not to participate in the DECG program for that school year.
The Sabine Parish School Board, in an effort to promote the health and safety of students and in an effort to preserve the validity and integrity of student drug testing, shall designate a central location for random drug testing. Random testing shall be conducted by an outside agency as approved by the Director of Athletics and the Superintendent.
Parents and students, by their signatures, shall release the School Board and its schools, employees, and representatives from any responsibility in connection with the administration of test results, warranties as to the accuracy of said tests, and medical procedures used by the referring laboratory.
Students who transfer to a school during the year shall be added to the list if they choose to participate in DECG activities and shall be tested at the first available testing opportunity.
As part of the drug testing policy, the Sabine Parish School Board authorizes random urinalysis drug testing of all DECG participants. The School Board, however, retains the right to use other tests available to accurately assess the use of drugs by any DECG participant. Urine tests may be initially performed by non-medical personnel. Any initial positive test shall be confirmed by a professional laboratory. Collection of urine samples shall be collected in a manner so as to ensure privacy for the individual, as well as to ensure the validity of the sample for each participant. After results are reviewed and in all cases where a positive result is confirmed, the Superintendent shall be notified, who shall immediately contact the principal. The parents and student participant shall immediately meet with the principal to discuss the results of the tests and procedure to be followed. Normally only positive results indicating the presence of a controlled substance, shall be communicated to parents and student participants.
It shall be understood by the parents/guardians and the student participant that the Sabine Parish School Board assumes no responsibility for diagnosing or treating any condition that may become known as a result of laboratory test(s).
POSITIVE TEST RESULTS
The following procedures shall be followed upon the receipt of a positive result from the drug testing described herein:
FIRST POSITIVE:
The individual who experiences a positive result shall be immediately notified by the principal. The student participant's parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall also be notified by the principal and a meeting to discuss the findings shall be scheduled. In the case of a confirmed positive, the individual shall immediately become ineligible to participate in all athletic or DECG activities for no less than seven (7) weeks. The participant and parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall be required to complete a mandatory drug counseling program provided and/or recommended by the Sabine Parish School Board.
The individual must provide documentation to the principal that all aspects of the prescribed programs have been completed, including provisions for providing specimens for analysis at all times required by the treatment program, and prior to the student participant becoming eligible to participate in any DECG activities. All costs for treatment, laboratory analysis, and/or other related costs are the responsibility of the student. Refusal to participate in the program herein described shall be treated as a second positive test result.
SECOND POSITIVE:
For an individual who experiences a second confirmed positive result: Both the individual who tested positive and his/her parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall be immediately notified. The student participant shall be immediately dismissed from his/her activity and shall be ineligible for participation in any DECG activities for one calendar year. Prior to any determination of eligibility to participate in a DECG for subsequent years, documentation of completion of substance abuse treatment and current negative laboratory analysis must be provided to the principal.
THIRD POSITIVE:
For any individual who experiences a third confirmed positive result: Both the individual who tested positive and his/her parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall be immediately notified. The individual shall immediately be dismissed from his/her DECG and shall be ineligible to participate in any DECG activities for the remainder of his/her time in high school.
Under no circumstances shall any law enforcement personnel be notified of positive test results. All results shall be for school related purposes and addressed in accordance with the terms, provisions, and conditions specified herein.
Revised: June 20, 2011
Revised: August 14, 2017
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 40:961, 49:1111
Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton, 515 U.S. 646 (1995)
Official Handbook, Louisiana High School Athletic Association
Board minutes, 6-20-11, 8-14-17
Sabine Parish School Board