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Texas Panhandle schools drug testing athletes and students

USA Today

A Texas school district will randomly drug test students who participate in extracurricular activities or request a permit to park a vehicle on school property, according to a letter to parents posted on the school's website.

Students in grades seven through twelve at Bushland Independent School District will be tested at the beginning of the school year for "alcohol and numerous illegal drugs," said the letter from Superintendent Chris Wigington. After that, random testing will occur as many as 10 times during the school year.

"The Bushland ISD Board of Trustees believe that maintaining an environment that is safe, free from illegal substance abuse, and conducive to learning is an important goal for the district and community," Wigington said in the letter. "This policy and the program that it supports are designed not for punitive measures, but to eliminate the potential threat to the student's health and safety that can occur if students are using or under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs."

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