Purpose: The Temple Independent School District, in an effort to protect the health and safety of its athletes involved in athletic activities has adopted a mandatory drug testing program for all athletic activities. We believe athletics offer worthwhile and significant contributions in defining a student’s personal, physical, and social development. Participation in athletic activities is a privilege and not a right, and students must meet specific requirements in order to participate. It is realized that drug abuse is a major health problem among adolescents. We feel that this will act as a deterrent against the use of drugs by our students. Fear of detection and its consequences would relieve the student of the ordinary peer pressures concerning drugs and alcohol abuse. Implementing this program will send a message to the students that we are concerned about their health and safety. Any T.I.S.D. students in grades 7-12, coach, teacher, or sponsor may volunteer to be tested. This is a clear indication that our community and the Temple Independent School District will not tolerate drug use by participants in our athletic program.
Process: Drug testing will be conducted within a laboratory; certified by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration. All students, grades 7-12, involved in athletic activities will be subjected to mandatory urine drug testing once every calendar year. Students, grades 7-12, involved in athletics will also be subjected to periodic random drug testing during the school year. The students will be selected randomly from the list of students participating in extracurricular activities. Through the use of urine samples, the certified laboratory will be able to detect the presence of drugs taken prior to the test. The Medical Review Officer appointed by the school district shall be given the authority to investigate the use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs in the validation of a positive test.
The urine sample will be documented through a “chain of custody” program to insure the identity and integrity of the sample throughout the collection, transportation, and testing process.
Drugs that may be tested but not limited too are:
opiates (morphine – codeine)
cocaine
amphetamines- methamphetamines
phencyclinine- PCP
The analysis will be conducted by a proven method called the Enzyme Multiplied Immuno Assay Technique (EMIT) test. If the sample is found to be positive, ( indicating the presence of drugs) it is then re-tested using gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS).
delta 9 – tetrahydro-cannabinol (marijuana)
Any student that refuses to submit a Temple I.S.D. Drug Test and Release form will not be permitted to participate in any Temple I.S.D athletic program.
In the event that your child is chosen at random for such testing and the results are negative, you will be informed by the designated administrator. In the event, your child’s name is chosen at random and the results are positive, the following steps will be taken:
First Positive
Conference with student, student’s parents, designated administrator.
Students are ineligible for competition for 14 school days; however, will be retained as part of the team and may continue to practice.
Students will automatically retest with scheduled random tests for the remainder of the school year.
Second Positive Test
Conference with student, students parent’s , designated administrator
Mandatory documentation of substance abuse counseling for readmission into Temple I.S.D. extracurricular activities.
Students are ineligible for competition for 30 school days however will be retained as part of the team and may continue to practice.
Students must test negative on a drug test before being readmitted following 30 days.
Students will be automatically retested with the scheduled random test for one calendar year.
Third Positive Test
Conference with student, students parent’s , designated administrator
Suspension from extracurricular activities for one calendar year. Suspension includes practice and competition and will be removed from the activity.
Mandatory documentation of substance abuse counseling before readmission in extracurricular activities.
Mandatory drug test with the scheduled random test for his/her tenure in Temple I.S.D.
Fourth Positive Test
Conference with students, students parent’s and designated administrators.
Suspension from extracurricular activities for remainder of his/her tenure at Temple I.S.D.
Referral for substance abuse counseling.
If a student refused to submit a drug test after signing the consent form, the refusal will be construed as a positive test. No testing will be allowed to be taken after refusal of the test.
Upon receipt of notification of a positive test the Superintendent or his/her designated point of contact will contact the student and schedule a mandatory parent-student conference. A plan of action to prevent future drug abuse will be formulated and agreed upon by the student, parent/guardian and the district’s point of contact. If the student does not develop a plan of action or fails to make satisfactory progress toward the completion of the plan to its entirety the student will be removed from competition and travel.
The confidentiality of the results are maintained to the highest regard.
