A Texas school district is set to start drug testing students as young as 12 who participate in extracurricular activities or play sports.
The Bushland Independent School District plans to drug test students grades seven through 12 who participate in band, are in student council, compete in sports, have a school parking permit, or are members of other extracurricular clubs. The district, located outside of Amarillo, Texas, plans to implement the new policy for the 2019-2020 school year.
“We’ve discussed drug testing policy for about a year now and the board wants to be proactive,” Superintendent Chris Wigington told ABC. “They want our kids to have a drug free environment, we want our kids to make great decisions.”
The test will screen for seven substances, including alcohol, heroin, marijuana, and opioids. According to the local ABC News affiliate, Wigington hopes the test will make students think twice before they succumb to peer pressure.
Those who test positive will be suspended from extracurricular programs. Administrators still plan on enforcing the student code of conduct and state law if students bring illegal substances on to school property or attend class under the influence.
“These are extracurricular activities, they’re privileges not rights,” Wigington said. “We don’t want to hurt a student academically, we don’t want to suspend them from school for testing positive for a drug.”
Bushland joins several other Texas school districts that have similar drug testing policies already in place. A 2002 ruling by the Supreme Court extended the drug testing authority of public schools to middle and high school students participating in extracurricular activities.
