Box Elder students, parents question drug-testing policy

BRIGHAM CITY — Some students say they will quit participating in school activities before they will comply with a drug-testing policy that requires the test to be observed by health-department personnel.

The Box Elder School Board will reconsider this portion of the policy tonight after parents have expressed frustration that the tests compromise the privacy and dignity of their students.

Parent Daron Issac said at first he was unconcerned about the policy, as he is subject to random drug tests as an employee at Alliant Techsystems. However, his opinion quickly changed when he learned the Bear River Health Department's definition of observation is to have a staff member in the stall with the student to observe the sample "from the point of origin."

"That is a violation of privacy, a violation of (the student's) dignity and beyond what we should be asking of our students," he said.

Isaac also said he found it ironic that the school board approved the current policy when it also has a hazing policy in place that prohibits actions that cause "embarrassment or ridicule, or personal degradation or loss of dignity" to any student.

Parent Cheryl Smith said she felt like the drug policy "forces something that isn't even standard in the adult world" on students in high school.

"Kids have to prove their innocence to participate in activities," she said.

The drug-testing policy was approved in August and involves the random testing of students participating in any extracurricular activity within the Utah High School Activities Association, and those who perform or compete in the community on behalf of a school. Students are pooled during the activity season and tests are conducted on a weekly basis, with participants selected by lottery drawing.

Under the current policy, the Bear River Health Department conducts the tests in Box Elder schools.

Box Elder is the second district in Utah to approve a drug-testing policy, following in the footsteps of Rich School District. Most districts, said Rob Cuff, executive director of the UHSAA, choose not to test because of the associated expense.

When Box Elder School Board members drafted a drug policy at the request of high-school administrators, there was some discussion about whether or not to insist on observation of the test. At the time, the consensus was there is no point in doing a test if it is not observed, because of the many ways to cheat the process.