School District to Perform Drug Testing

Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 board treasurer Phil Devries remembers his feelings after nearly 25 students were busted in a black tar heroin scandal last December.  “I was shocked, concerned, disappointed, angry,” Now District 12 is contemplating a random drug testing policy.  “We just feel it’s time to address it,”  says Devries, “It’s on the table.  We’re weighing the merits, the pluses and minuses.  We’ve been working on it for a few months now.”

If passed, D-12 would be the 4th district in the state to adopt such a policy which focuses on students involved in extra curricular activities such as sports.  “This could be that one little thing that keeps them from making that bad decision.  That could be a great deterrent,” says Devries.As a parent of a middle school student athlete Steve Kusulas supports the idea of random drug testing.  “I think actually it’s a great idea,” says Kusulas, “It would deter a lot of the players from taking drugs.”The policy draft is still broad and could even include testing for human growth hormone and other performance enhancing drugs.  “We haven’t ruled that out,” says Devries, “I think it’s a matter of identifying all of those things that are a health hazard to the kids.”  Kusulas thinks it would be a good idea to include testing for performance enhancing drugs.  “I have a hard time watching major league baseball because of that.  I think it’s a great idea to get them started early in term of not taking steroids.”