FILE: IDFA-R
INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS DRUG TESTING
Since athletics and cheerleading are extracurricular activities, the Iberville Parish School Board takes added precautions to assure that athletes and cheerleaders will be accorded reasonable safety measures. Athletics and cheerleading are not essential parts of the educational process and thus are not mandated by the Iberville Parish School Board. Consequently, the safety procedures required of the athlete and cheerleader are freely embraced by the parents, athletes, and cheerleaders in view of optimizing the opportunities to minimize injuries to the athlete or cheerleader and to others who participate in sports and otherwise.
The Iberville Parish School Board's main purpose is not to invade the privacy of the student athletes and cheerleaders but rather its intent is to identify a health or controlled substance dependence which by its very nature would be counter productive to the safety of the athlete or cheerleader, and his/her companions.
The drug testing program delineated herein is not adopted as a punitive measure. All students who participate in inter-scholastic athletics and cheerleading are subject to the drug testing procedures herein specified. Therefore, the Iberville Parish School Board hereby publicly declares that the administration of drug testing to participants is not and should not be construed as being premised upon suspicion that a particular student is under the influence of any drugs. This program is a mandatory condition for participation by a student in any interscholastic athletics and/or cheerleading. The test at issue here is only for drugs and not any other health related condition that participants may exhibit.
All athletes and cheerleaders will be subject to random drug testing throughout the school year. Random testing will be scheduled by a professional laboratory that will collect and analyze urine specimens. The student athlete's or cheerleader's confidentiality will be protected at all times. Students will be identified by their social security numbers. No identifying names will be used in correspondence with the lab.
The urine specimen will be taken to ascertain if there is present any controlled substance which by its very nature will impede the motor skills required in athletic endeavors and thus endanger the athlete, cheerleader, and/or others.
Each specimen will be analyzed for the presence of the following compounds:
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Amphetamines |
Barbiturates |
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Benzoyleogonine |
Benzodiazepines |
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Methaqualone |
Methadone |
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Opiates |
Phencyclidine |
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Propoxyphene |
Marijuana Metabolites |
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Methamphetamine |
Butalbital |
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Butabarbital |
Phenobarbital |
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Alpha-Hydroxyalprazolam |
Nordiazepam |
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Oxazepam |
Temazepam |
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Codeine |
Morphine |
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Norproxyphene |
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These tests will be strictly enforced and participation will be mandatory, since the parents/guardians have freely chosen to allow their sons/daughters to participate in athletic or cheerleading programs. No athlete or cheerleader will be tested unless the parent(s) and athlete/cheerleader sign a consent form giving permission to have the tests performed. Refusal to allow these tests to be administered will immediately serve as notice that the student may not participate in any interscholastic athletics or cheerleading activity.
All costs associated with the administration of this drug testing program shall be the sole and exclusive responsibility of the Iberville Parish School Board. However, any evaluation or drug counseling which may be mandated as a result of positive tests shall not, under any circumstances, be the responsibility of the Iberville Parish School Board.
The following procedures shall be followed upon receipt of a positive result from the drug testing described herein:
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FIRST POSITIVE - Both the individual who has tested positive and his/her parents/guardians shall be immediately notified according to the procedures specified. Before continued participation will be permitted in the particular program, the student shall submit to drug evaluation in an effort to determine the necessity of drug counseling and/or other treatment, which, if needed, shall be at his/her expense. The refusal to participate in the recommended treatment after evaluation, or even to the evaluation itself, shall constitute disqualification from participation in any interscholastic athletic or cheerleading program. The student must test negative at the end of a two week counseling/treatment period, before being allowed to resume participation. Students may, during the two weeks counseling/treatment period, observe any practices but may not participate in any games or related activities. *If, during the random selection process, a student is chosen for testing and he/she is not in his/her sports season, the two week non-participation clause will go into effect from the date of the first regularly scheduled game of that particular sport.
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SECOND POSITIVE - in the same year: Both the individual who has tested positive and his/her parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall be immediately notified according to the procedures specified. The athletic or cheerleading participant shall be immediately dismissed from his/her activity and shall be ineligible for participation in any of the school's interscholastic athletics or cheerleading for a period of twelve months.
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THIRD POSITIVE - in eight semesters: Any individual who tests positive for a third time during an eight semester period (four years of eligibility) shall be terminated from interscholastic athletics or cheerleading for the remainder of their time in high school. |
All tests shall be received and reviewed by only the Superintendent of Schools or his designee. The parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall be immediately notified by the responsible person. Such notification shall be confirmed in writing. Further, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall immediately notify the principal of the student's school who will then, without delay, notify the school's athletic director. The latter shall then advise the student as soon as possible. Confidentiality of the test results shall be maintained at all times.
Under no circumstances shall any law enforcement personnel be notified in case of positive test results. All test results shall be for school related purposes and addressed in accordance with the terms, provisions, and conditions specified herein.
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) and or guardian(s), and shall be a test of the same specimen. However, 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) and/or guardian(s) and shall be administered by a laboratory or testing agency approved by the Iberville 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.
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall implement guidelines that ensure the fair enforcement of this policy, maintain confidentiality, and ensure that the results of drug testing shall not be used as a basis for any disciplinary action and shall be used only to determine eligibility for interscholastic athletics and cheerleading programs.
This drug testing policy has not been adopted in lieu of other drug policies or search and seizure regulations previously adopted by the Iberville Parish School Board or enacted by law. Rather, 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 school related functions.
The parent(s) or guardian(s) and the student shall release the Iberville 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 Iberville 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. §§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, 8-11-97
Iberville Parish School Board