FILE:  IDFAA

Cf:  IDFA

 

AUTHORIZATION AND CONSENT FOR

DRUG TESTING OF ATHLETES

 

 

The St. Landry Parish School Board recognizes that athletics is not a mandatory part of school curriculum.  Therefore, student participation is not required by school policy or law.  However, the nature of athletics, together with the societal problems which a student-athlete encounters, entail that the St. Landry Parish School Board adopt steps to help protect the sanctity of high school athletics and to help assure that an athlete will be provided the maximum safety available.  The hereinafter specified drug testing procedures have been enacted by the St. Landry Parish School Board for the following basic reasons:

 

  1. To test for any substance which could allegedly provide an unfair advantage over those who do not use such substances (i.e., substances believed to or which actually enhance athletic performance); and
     

  2. To test for any substance which may impair one's athletic or activity performance or pose a threat to his/her safety or the safety of others, (i.e., any substance that may be mind altering, addictive or illegal).

 

It is the position of the St. Landry Parish School Board that drug testing procedures are embraced by both parents and athletes to help achieve maximum protection of high school athletics without compromise to the athletes' opportunities to compete safely, fairly and competitively.

 

The drug testing program delineated herein is not adopted as a punitive measure.  Further, the St. Landry Parish School Board does not attempt to regulate off-campus, non-school related activities of its athletes by virtue of this policy.  Moreover, it is not the intent of this policy to invade the privacy rights of those affected thereby.  Rather, as stated above, the St. Landry Parish School Board strives only to optimize the opportunities to minimize injuries to the athlete and others who choose to participate in athletics, and to insure fair competition.

 

All athletes are subject to the drug testing procedures herein specified.  Therefore, the St. Landry Parish School Board hereby publicly declares that the administration of drug testing to an athlete is not and should not be construed as being premised upon a suspicion that a particular athlete is under the influence of drugs.  This program is a mandatory condition for participation by a student in athletics in the schools that choose to participate in drug testing.

 

This drug testing policy has not been adopted in lieu of other drug policies and search and seizure regulations previously adopted by the St. Landry Parish School Board or enacted by law.  Rather, the drug testing guidelines established herein are to be employed in conjunction with other school policies which prescribe penalties for the use, consumption and/or distribution of illegal or prohibited substances on school grounds or at school related functions.

 

Therefore, the format hereby adopted by the St. Landry Parish School Board in the implementation of a drug testing policy is as follows:

 

  1. All athletes shall submit to a physical examination by a duly licensed physician;
     

  2. A medical history of each athlete shall be submitted to the athletic director, principal, and/or team physician;
     

  3. One or more urine analyses shall be taken in order to ascertain possible warning signs which by their nature would endanger the athlete's safety, and/or whether there is present any controlled substance which, by its nature, will impede the motor skills required in athletic endeavors and thus endanger the athlete and/or others.
     

  4. All urine analyses shall be used to ascertain the presence of substances such as:

 

    1. Glucose
       

    2. Protein
       

    3. Blood
       

    4. Narcotics such as codeine, morphine, meperidine, normeperidine, methadone, primary metabolite and pentazocine
       

    5. Depressants such as diazepam, nordiazepam, methaqualone, propoxyphene, norpropoxyphene and ethanol
       

    6. Barbiturates such as amobarbital, butabarbital, pentobarbital, secobarbital and phenobarbital
       

    7. CNS stimulants such as amphetamine, methamphetamine, caffeine, cocaine, benzoylecgonine and phencyclidine (PCP)
       

    8. Miscellaneous substances such as phenothiazines (reported as a class only), quinine or quinidine, tripelennamine (known as "T-S and Blues" when present with tentazocine) and cannabinoids (if positive, tetrahydocannabin metabolite confirmation)
       

    9. Anabolic steroids
       

    10. Any other substance defined as "controlled dangerous substances" by law including, but not limited to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §40:961 et seq.

 

As alluded to earlier, all testing shall be strictly enforced and participation in the testing program is mandatory based upon the fact that the parents/guardians of athletes have freely chosen to permit their children to participate in the athletic programs offered by the St. Landry Parish School Board.  No athlete shall be tested unless the parent(s) or guardian(s) and the athlete execute this form permitting the performance of the subject tests.  By execution of this document, the parent(s) or guardian(s) and athlete acknowledge that they have consented and do hereby consent, to the administration of the subject tests and they do hereby waive any claim of invasion of privacy and waive any objection to the necessary action which may be adopted in the implementation of this drug testing program and in furtherance of the goals which serve as its bases.  Moreover, the undersigned do hereby authorize the St. Landry Parish School Board to have the tests enumerated herein administered as a necessary and mandatory aspect of its athletic program.  Refusal to submit to these tests shall constitute immediate notice that the athlete shall not be permitted to participate in any athletic program offered by the school system.

 

For the protection of the school system in general and the athletes in particular, and to preserve the integrity and validity of the testing program, all urine tests shall be performed by a professional laboratory.  The results of the tests shall be maintained in confidence in the office of the school principal.  Positive results of any drug testing shall be communicated to the parent(s) or guardian(s) and the student affected thereby.  In any case, any parent or guardian shall be permitted to engage in a confidential conference with the principal, athletic director and/or superintendent to discuss the results of any test.  Should any parent(s) or guardian(s) agree to the dissemination of the results of any drug testing, the athlete affected thereby shall be informed.

 

Each of the undersigned hereby releases the St. Landry Parish School Board, its members (both individually and in their official capacity) as well as any employee, teacher, principal or other school administrator or personnel from any liability in connection with this policy, the administration of the testing procedures and/or test results, any warranties addressing the accuracy of said tests and any and all medical or laboratory procedures employed by the referring laboratory.

 

It is expressly understood that the St. Landry Parish School Board assumes no responsibility for the diagnosis or treatment of any disease that may become known as a result of any laboratory test(s) conducted in the implementation of this drug testing program.

 

All costs associated with the administration of this drug testing program shall be the sole and exclusive responsibility of the schools that choose to adopt drug testing.  However, any evaluation or drug counseling which may be mandated as a result of positive tests shall not, under any circumstances, be the responsibility of the St. Landry Parish School Board or of the school.

 

The undersigned athlete and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) hereby acknowledge that the athlete has been taking the following medication prescribed by the physician identified below:

 

Medication                    Prescribing Physician

______________        _________________

 

The following procedures shall be followed upon receipt of a positive result from the drug testing described herein:

 

  1. First positive:  Both the individual athlete who has tested positive and his/her parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall be immediately notified according to the procedures hereinafter specified.  Before he/she will be permitted to continue participation in the athletic program, the athlete shall submit to a drug evaluation in an effort to determine the necessity of drug counseling or other treatment, which if needed shall be at his/her expense.  The refusal to participate in the recommended treatment after evaluation or even to submit to the evaluation itself shall constitute disqualification from participation in any athletic program.
     

  2. Second positive:  Both the individual athlete who has tested positive and his/her parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall be immediately notified according to the procedures hereinafter specified.  The athlete shall be required to participate in continued and further counseling, at his/her expense, and shall be suspended from practice and/or play indefinitely.  The athlete may be reinstated at a time to be determined mutually by a qualified drug counselor, his/her athletic director and his/her principal.  The refusal to participate in any recommended counseling program, or to abide by any other sanctions imposed by school personnel, shall be treated as a third positive test result.
     

  3. Third positive:  Both the individual athlete who has tested positive and his/her parent(s) and/or guardian(s) shall be immediately notified according to the procedures hereinafter specified.  The athlete shall immediately be dismissed from his/her team and shall thereafter be ineligible for participation in any of the school's athletic activities for the remainder of the school year.

 

All test results shall be received and reviewed by only the Superintendent of the St. Landry Parish School Board.  The parent(s) and/or guardian(s) of any athlete who has tested positive shall be immediately notified by the Superintendent.  Such notification shall be confirmed in writing.  Further, the Superintendent shall also immediately notify the principal of the athlete's school who will then, without delay, notify the athletic director and athlete's coach.  The latter shall then advise the athlete as soon as possible.  Confidentiality of the test results shall be maintained at all times.

 

Under no circumstances shall any law enforcement personnel be notified in case of positive test results.  All test results shall be for school related purposes and addressed in accordance with the terms, provisions and conditions specified herein.

 

An athlete may request a verification test, the cost of which shall be borne by the school he/she attends, and be a test of the same specimen.  However, should the athlete request a verification test from another laboratory or testing agency, then the cost of the verification test shall be the responsibility of the athlete and shall be administered by a laboratory or testing agency approved by the principal of the school in which the athlete is enrolled.  Further, the verification test must be of the same specimen previously tested.  Moreover, the verification test shall be administered in accordance with the terms, conditions and provisions of this authorization and consent form.

 

The drug testing specified herein shall be administered at least once every school year to all students who have elected to participate in any athletic program.  A student will not be exempted from the testing on the basis of his/her having been previously tested in prior school years or the current school year that the test is offered except as otherwise stated herein.

 

It is noted by the undersigned that the athlete shall not have a right to a hearing before the administration of any sanctions prescribed by this policy.  In this connection, it is again recognized that athletics is not a part of mandatory school curriculum.  Nonetheless, as indicated previously, this drug testing policy shall not be in lieu of or exclusive of other drug policies and/or search and seizure regulations adopted by the St. Landry Parish School Board and/or enacted by law.

 

The implementation of the specific testing procedures and similar matters shall be as specified by written policy of the St. Landry Parish School Board.  Copies of same may be obtained from the central office of the St. Landry Parish School Board.

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 40:961, 40:962, 40:963, 40:964, 40:967, 40:968, 40:969, 40:970, 40:971, 40:971.1

Official Handbook, Louisiana High School Athletic Association

Board minutes, 8-1-96

 

St. Landry Parish School Board