The Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214 board Thursday night approved a districtwide voluntary student drug-testing policy.
The move is aimed at allaying the concern of parents who fear their children are experimenting with drugs, district officials said.
Last year, the voluntary student drug-testing policy was piloted at the Forest View Alternative School, Vanguard School and at Wheeling High School.
At Wheeling High, 25 students took the urine test to determine drug usage. Those students who tested positive may be tested weekly or monthly.
Information about the Vanguard and Forest View students tested wasn’t available Thursday.
“Quite a few of those students test positive but it helps students and parents confront the drug problem. The usage often comes from weekend partying,” said Wheeling Principal Dorothy Sievert.
“Students will request a test if their parents are doubting them,” Sievert said. “Or parents can take the test home.”
Parents and students both must agree to have the student tested.
Now that the policy is in place, staff at the district’s nine schools can decide on an individual basis whether they want to participate.
The testing policy states that disciplinary action may result from violating laws. A positive test will be seen as a cause to search students, their possessions and lockers.
