In-house drug testing policy approved by BOE Policy Committee

TOP PHOTO: The Campbell County BOE Policy Committee met on Wednesday evening, approving a motion for in-house drug testing, rather than sending tests off to a lab or to an urgent care. Campbell County Schools Health Coordinator Ernie Clawson addressed the policy committee, explaining that the reasoning to change this was due to a lot of “discrepancies in drug testing.” The policy will now go to the full school board for a vote before being adopted.

By Charlotte Underwood

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- The Campbell County Board of Education Policy Committee met on Wednesday evening, approving a motion for in-house drug testing, rather than sending tests off to a lab or to an urgent care. This motion will go on to the full school board to be voted on at the May 13^th meeting. The purpose of doing the testing in-house is to prevent drug test discrepancies, and it will also save the school district money.

Board of Education Policy Committee Chairman Jamie Wheeler said she had looked at Campbell County’s policy, as well as Knox County and Roane County’s drug testing policies. She said she liked Roane County policy, which did testing in-house at the school.

Campbell County Schools Health Coordinator Ernie Clawson addressed the policy committee, explaining that the reasoning to change this was due to a lot of “discrepancies in drug testing.”

“I know that Sharon Shepherd and Mr. Ben Foust have talked to me and said we are sending these kids under suspicion, under assessment that need to have a drug test, and we will send them. These kids will look at Miss Shepherd and say, ‘I’m going to fail it’ and then they will come back negative,” Clawson said.

He talked to board members about the in-house drug testing kits that Roane County utilizes, which is an I-screen Urine test. The price of these kits is $112.58 for 100 tests. They come in boxes of 25.

“This is very inexpensive. We feel like to improve our drug testing in Campbell County Schools, for our middle schools and our high schools, this will alleviate a lot of discrepancy that we have,” Clawson said.

It is a 12-panel drug test kit. The school nurse or School Resource Officer (SRO) would administer the drug test. It is policy to use an administrative restroom, put blue dye in the toilet and the nurse or SRO administers it.

This will also save parents money. When students get drug tested, the parent covers the cost, which is usually around $50. Students cannot be drug tested without parental permission.

“Anytime a student is going to be drug tested, their parents are called first, and they can deny that,” Wheeler qualified.

A motion was made to recommend this be passed by the full school board. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-05/02/2025-6 AM)