Drug Testing in Brentwood Schools? School Board Weighs In

students who participate in extracurricular activities could soon be required to comply with randomized drug testing.

The Brentwood Board of Education held a lengthy discussion about the possibility during a meeting on Tuesday in the . Board member Katrina Harper introduced the potential policy after reviewing similar policies in other school districts.

“It’s pretty common knowledge that we have drugs in Brentwood,” Harper said. “That many of our students are using drugs, have been using drugs for a long time.”

Superintendent Dr. Charles Penberthy introduced the topic with pitfalls to avoid. Federal law only allows schools to test students involved in extracurricular activities, but no other students. Penberthy also raised a few questions for board members:

• How often to test
• What percentage of the students should be tested
• How much to spend on testing
• What are the consequences for a student identified as a drug user

Penberthy estimated the cost to be $6,000 to $10,000 each year.

Board president Chris Jones pointed out that testing could be a natural deterrent that gives students a good reason to say no to trying drugs. He felt the cost was justified, and that Brentwood residents would agree with it.

However, the board wasn't united in thinking that drugs are prevalent in Brentwood schools. Board member Regina Gahr said that when her daughter was in Brentwood 25 years ago, kids knew where to get drugs, but that didn't mean they were taking them.

“What kind of proof do we have that it’s a big problem?” Gahr asked. “Is this just something that you all are thinking of? Is it just our athletes?”

Gahr said students that use drugs have been identified in the past, and at that time, their parents were approached.

“Some parents paid attention, some parents said, 'We don't care.' So if the parents aren't interested, there’s not a whole lot you can do,” Gahr said.

Board member Kathy Glowski said she had two students go through Brentwood in the last six years and she knows that drug use is a problem. She took exception to Gahr’s suggestion that it was the parents’ fault.

“I felt like I brought my kids up really well and they still hung out with kids doing that,” she said. “I don’t know if you can blame the parents fully on that.”

Board member Dan Williams, who is involved in Brentwood sports, said the students talk, and he hears everything.

He said he’s talked directly with students about drug use but he was limited in how he could help.

“Unless you have some kind of structured ability to check and find out and prove things, there’s really nothing you can do except say, 'Don’t do it,'” Williams said.

Board member Keith Rabenberg wanted to see some evidence that a drug-testing program can be effective.

“If someone can show me some data, some scientific conclusions where somebody has carefully studied this and concluded it does some good, that’s a different thing for me,” he said.

Board member Michelle Hassemer (by speaker phone) wondered how much cost or data points should be considered if intervention could stop a child from trying drugs.

"I would love to have data as well," she said. "But when I look at what we can do in terms of saying what’s right and what’s wrong, I think reinforcing the message, particularly to those students who choose to represent our school in extracurricular activities, that we will not condone drug use nor will we take your word for it. I don’t have a problem giving that message."

Brentwood parent and former board member Joe Hembree spoke before the board. He was concerned about adopting program that wasn’t broad enough.

“I just want to make sure it’s really going to attack the issues, and not just the extracurricular ones,” he said. “I just want to make sure we consider all options.”

Anthony Harper, the husband of Katrina Harper and Ward 1 alderman, also spoke.

"Definitely seen some kids that had some great potential end up in some very horrible situations because of drugs,” Harper said.

Penberthy closed the discussion by saying that the school board should continue to reflect on the issue, and to look at policies of other school districts.

He also suggested that police and fire departments could be involved to reach out to a broader community. 

The discussion is expected to continue at the next school board meeting.