FILE: IDFAA
DRUG SCREENING OF STUDENT ATHLETES
The Acadia Parish School Board acknowledges that extracurricular activities are not an essential aspect of the educational process in Louisiana. Therefore, student participation is not an absolute right but a privilege afforded to eligible students on an equal opportunity basis and thus is voluntary and not required by School Board policy or state and/or federal law.
Therefore, the Acadia Parish School Board, in an effort to further protect the health and safety of student athletes, and in an effort to preserve and maintain a positive learning environment, has adopted this policy for Drug Screening of Student Athletes. The express purpose of this policy is (1) to help prevent student athletes from using drugs, (2) to help protect their health and safety, (3) to provide drug users with an educational assistance program, and (4) to try to preserve and maintain a positive learning environment for the children who have been committed to the temporary custody of the state as schoolmaster.
As a part of the drug screening policy, the Acadia Parish School Board authorizes random urinalysis drug testing of students who participate in the schools' athletic programs.
PROCEDURES
Prior to participating in any Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) sanctioned sport, all high school and junior high student athlete, activity members and their parents/guardians shall be required to sign the LHSAA Substance Abuse/Misuse Contract and the Acadia Parish School Board Student Consent form. These arrangements state that all student athletes and activity members shall be subject to random drug testing. These tests shall be strictly enforced and participation shall be mandatory, since the parents/guardians have freely chosen to allow their son(s)/daughter(s) to participate in athletic programs. No athlete shall be tested unless the parent(s)/guardian(s) and the athlete/activity member sign both the LHSAA and Acadia Parish School Board forms giving permission to have the tests performed. Refusal to allow these tests to be administered shall immediately serve notice that the student may not participate in any interscholastic athletics or activity membership for one calendar year.
All student athletes or activity members shall be subject to random selection and testing throughout the school year. All urinalysis testing shall be performed by a professional NIDA approved laboratory to be selected by the Superintendent and approved by the School Board. The tests shall ascertain if there is present any controlled substance as may be specified by the Board or Superintendent. All costs associated with the administration of the athletic drug testing program shall be the responsibility of the Acadia Parish School Board. However, any evaluation or counseling services which may be mandated as a result of positive tests shall not, under any circumstances, be the responsibility of the Acadia Parish School Board.
RESULTS OF TESTS
The following procedures shall be followed upon receipt of a positive result from the drug testing described herein:
Both the individual who has tested positive and his/her parents/guardians shall be immediately notified by the principal or his/her representative. The student athlete shall be excluded from participation in interscholastic athletics or activity immediately. The student shall submit to drug evaluation in an effort to determine the necessity of drug counseling and /or treatment, which, if needed shall be at his/her expense. At the end of drug counseling sessions, the student may return to any school athletic program or activity if he/she submits written verification that the drug counseling sessions have been completed. Once an athlete or activity member has tested positive, he/she shall be subject to regular rather than random testing for the remainder of the school year.
A second positive test result shall result in the student being excluded from participation in all interscholastic athletics or activities for a period of twelve (12) months. A third positive test result shall result in the student being excluded from participation in all interscholastic athletics or activities for the remainder of his/her high school career.
All test results shall be received by the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee. The parent(s) and/or guardian(s) of a student testing positive shall be immediately notified by the principal or his/her representative. Such notification shall be confirmed in writing.
A student or his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) may request a verification test from the specified testing agency, the cost of which shall be borne by the student and parent(s) or guardian(s), and shall be a test of the same specimen. Should the student request a verification test from another laboratory or testing agency, the cost of the verification test shall be the responsibility of the student and his/her parent(s) or guardians(s), and shall be administered by a laboratory or testing agency approved by the Acadia Parish School Board. Further, the verification test must be of the same specimen previously tested. Moreover, the verification test shall be administered in accordance with the terms, conditions, and provisions of this drug testing policy. Verification of test results will act as the only appeal to the conditions set forth in this policy.
OTHER GUIDELINES
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall implement guidelines that ensure the fair enforcement of this policy and maintain strict confidentiality. The drug testing guidelines established herein are to be employed in conjunction with and in addition to other School Board policies which prescribe penalties for the possession of, use of, consumption of, being under the influence of, and/or distribution of illegal or prohibited substances on school grounds or at any school related functions.
PARENTAL RELEASE
The parent(s) or guardians) and the student shall release the Acadia Parish School Board, its members (both individually and in their official capacity), as well as any employee, teacher, principal or other school administrator or personnel from any liability in connection with this policy, the administration of the testing procedures and/or test results, any warranties addressing the accuracy of said tests and any and all medical or laboratory procedures employed by the referring laboratory. It is expressly understood the Acadia Parish School Board assumes no responsibility for the diagnosis or treatment of any disease or condition that may become known as a result of any laboratory test(s) conducted in the implementation of this drug testing program.
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ยงยง17:81, 40:961, 49:1111
Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton, 515 U.S. 646 (1995)
Official Handbook, Louisiana High School Athletic Association
Acadia Parish School Board