Sitka draft would expand student drug testing to all Sitka High ASAA activities

Sitka School District's Policy Committee was set to consider a draft Wednesday that would put every Sitka High School student in an activity sanctioned by the Alaska School Activities Association into one random drug-testing pool. The draft adds alcohol and nicotine testing and would have families pay for a lab test that confirms a positive screen.

The current rule dates to 2000, was last revised in 2008 and covers 11 listed sports, from baseball and wrestling to cheerleading and drill team. It says students "shall not be tested for the presence of any substance other than an illegal drug."

The draft would test 5% of the pool each week while any covered activity is in season, and a student could be picked in back-to-back weeks. The urine test would add alcohol, nicotine, fentanyl and benzodiazepines to drugs such as THC, cocaine and opioids. The superintendent or a designee would keep the list of covered activities, so the draft does not say how many students or which activities the pool would include.

Students would not need to disclose prescriptions in advance, and a lawfully prescribed medication would not count as a violation.

The current rule sends every positive result to a lab and a physician. The draft instead treats a positive on-site screen as presumptive. Families would have 24 hours to request a lab test of the same sample, or the screen becomes final. If the lab confirms the result, the student or parent pays "the reasonable cost of the laboratory confirmation," the draft says. If the lab clears the student, the district pays.

Appeals would be due in writing within three calendar days. Results could be used for activity eligibility and student support, not academic penalties, and could not go to law enforcement except as required by law. A student could self-refer for help only before being picked.

Penalties would follow Sitka High's existing offense chart: 20 days out of all participation for a first offense, then 45 days, 180 days and a year for later ones. The current rule sets the penalty at the season or 30 consecutive school days, whichever is longer. A first offense could be cut to 10 days if the student completes an ASAA course and 10 hours of community service. Refusing a test or tampering with one would bring the full suspension.

At a Sept. 9 meeting, staff recommended replacing Sitka's rule with Ketchikan's, which tests about 10% of students every other week and reaches middle school. The committee rejected that and asked Sitka High staff members Tyler McCarty and Megan Reid for two drafts, one travel-based and one aligned with ASAA activities. The Nov. 11 packet carried only the ASAA version.

The committee does not adopt policy itself. Under a process it set in September, its policies go to the school board, where the public and board members can comment before final approval on a second reading.

The draft recommends legal review before adoption.