No Whittell students test positive for drugs in 2010-11
By Kathryn Reed
ZEPHYR COVE – Students in Douglas County who want to participate in extra-curricular activities have apparently gotten the message – do drugs and you are on the bench.
The school board on Tuesday heard a report about the program. This is the third academic year the policy has been in place.
Of the 231 drug tests given to Whittell High students in 2010-11, not one came back positive. At Douglas High, eight of the 395 tests were positive, with one student refusing to take the test. Douglas is the only school in DCSD to have positive results.
The random drug tests look for alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines (valium), cocaine, marijuana, methadone, expanded opiates (codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone), phencyclidine and propoxyphene (darvon).
“It’s great drug counseling is part of it so perhaps it will change their behavior,” board member Teri Jamin said.
Students were surveyed; with 64 percent saying the drug program did not deter them from initiating drug or alcohol use. Almost half (43 percent) said the program promotes a safer, healthier school learning environment.
At the end of this academic year parents will also be surveyed to gather their opinions about the program.
Here is information about the first year the policy was in place.
Congratulations to the Whittell athletes! Your school should be very proud.
What about the performance enhancing drugs?
When I spoke to the students at whittell They told me that LSD, Synthetic marijuana, and mushrooms don’t show up on the test. Also they reported that if they ingested a large amount of cocain on a friday night they would have a clean test on monday. The same could be said for many of the other drugs tested for. Most of the students I talked to said that the testing simply made them seek different and sometimes more dangerous drugs. When we are cutting music, arts, and sports programs why are we hiring a private company to do our job as parents. I believe as a parent it is my responsibility to teach my kids morals.