Edmond Public Schools to begin drug testing in high schools in January

For one, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled schools can drug-test students who participate in extracurricular activities. Secondly, Brown said, these students are leaders and are held to a higher standard.

“It's a privilege, but with that privilege comes a heightened responsibility,” Brown said. “Obviously, they're going to be looked at as role models and school leaders, and so with that heightened responsibility, we feel they have that responsibility to remain drug- and alcohol-free.”

Edmond Public Schools, the fourth-largest public school district in Oklahoma, has about 22,500 students. Since 2005, the district has suspended 660 students in its middle schools and high schools because of drugs.

The district anticipates spending about $35,000 on testing, which is less than 1 percent of the district's $4 million budget. The test will be performed with a device slipped under the student's tongue.

Edmond's school board and administrators have been working on the policy for the past three years. It was finalized in October and will take effect Jan. 7, the first day of the semester.

Any student who wants to participate in an extracurricular activity must provide a drug testing consent form, signed by the student, a guardian and the coach or sponsor of the activity. If the student refuses to sign the form, he or she cannot participate in the activity.

A company contracting with the school will select students at random using their student ID numbers, Brown said. Under the new policy, if coaches suspect athletes of using performance-enhancing drugs, they can request those athletes undergo drug testing, Brown said.

Addressing drug use

Edmond parent Kelly Batt became interested in seeing a drug testing policy at the district after hearing stories from her daughters, Lauren and Andrea.

When the girls started high school at Edmond North, they would come home and tell Batt about students who were drunk or high at school.