Sitka school policy committee rejects copying Ketchikan's student drug-testing rule

Sitka's school policy committee this month turned down a staff recommendation to replace the district's student drug testing rules with Ketchikan's. It asked instead for two new drafts, and one of them could stretch testing well past athletes.

That draft would cover any district activity that involves travel, which could bring in music, drama, debate and academic competitions. The other would line Sitka's rules up with the state activities association's tobacco, alcohol and drug policy. The committee did not say how broad it expects the travel version to be.

Sitka's current rule dates to 2000 and was last revised in 2003. It tests about 5 percent of an athletic team each week during its season, and a student caught with alcohol or drugs sits out the full season or 30 school days, whichever runs longer. Ketchikan's, which staff had recommended, tests about 10 percent every other week, can test everyone at the start of an activity, reaches middle schoolers, and escalates from a 10-day suspension for a first violation to a full year for a fourth.

Testing students without suspicion is settled law. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld it for athletes in 1995 and for students in extracurricular activities in 2002.

Staff were also told to get input from Sitka High's student government. The drafts come back to the committee Oct. 14.