School district answers questions on drug testing students

Guthrie Public Schools held a public meeting Tuesday evening regarding the implementation of their drug testing program for students in extra-curricular activities.

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Doug Ogle, Executive Director for the school district, spoke inside the Guthrie High School cafeteria. Several members of the junior high and high school administration, along with four parents, were in attendance.

The school district announced on Aug. 24 the random drug testing for their students in extra school activities. Related story: GPS to begin random drug testing for students in activities

The district has chosen Select Force to overlook the testing.

Ogle says high school athletic director, Jon Chappell, and junior high athletic director, Ryan Dayton, will collect the students names and will forward those to Select Force, who will randomly generate a list of students to be tested each month.

“I want to clarify, the (district) will not know ahead of time of the students who will be tested. We may know the date they are coming, but we are not going to the name of the students until they (testing company) show up that day,” Ogle said.

By law, only students in extra-curricular activities can be tested.

Approximately 20 students at the high school and 10 at the junior high will be randomly given an urine test each month for the following: Amphetamine, Benzodiazepines, Buprenorphine, Cocaine, Fentanyl, K2/Spice (Synthetic Marijuana), Marijuana (THC), MDMA (Ecstasy), Methadone, Morphine, Methamphetamine, Oxycodone and Tramadol (TRA). Extra tests, such as those that need an ehrlich test kit, may be considered.

Prescription medication must be in the name of the student in order to be considered a negative test.

The district will fund the tests at about $17 per test as well as the counseling services (Family and Children’s Consultants and Logan County Youth and Family Services). Students who test positive will be responsible for the costs of the two week follow-up test.

The consequence for the first positive test requires the student to attend three hours of counseling followed by a re?test in two weeks.

The second offense will require the student to attend six hours of counseling, be suspended from participation for 14 days and retested monthly for the remainder of the school year.

The third offense (in the same school year) will bring a suspension from participation for the remainder of the school year or one semester (whichever is longer).