Drug testing policy amended

Morgan Hudson, Editor-in-Chief
October 3, 2011
Filed under News

Two changes to the chemical substance abuse policy at Chanute High School have closed some loopholes in the policy according to CHS athletic director Eric Methvin.
The first change to the policy states that a season will be defined as a semester, meaning year-round activities will be divided into two seasons.
The second change states students who are disqualified from participation in a season of activity due to violations of the chemical substance abuse policy will be required to participate in the chemical substance (drug testing) screening before starting a new season of activity.
“The drug policy was issued for the protection of students, and these changes make the policy stronger,” Methvin said.
Methvin said the second change fixes a loophole that previously allowed athletes ruled ineligible for the sport they were participating in during one season to participate in the next sport without having to prove that they were clean.
With these changes, if a student participating in a year-round activity like chess or cheerleading receives two strikes in a single semester the student will be eligible second semester if the student has successfully passed a drug test.
Additionally, an athlete ruled ineligible during football season would have to pass a drug test before being cleared play another sport.
Before the changes in the chemical substance abuse policy, a student suspended from an activity that spanned more than one semester was deemed ineligible the remainder of the year.