AMARILLO, Texas (AP) – A Panhandle school district will begin drug testing students as young as 12 years old who are interested in playing sports or participating in other extracurricular offerings.
Bushland Independent School District Superintendent Chris Wigington tells Amarillo station KVII-TV that testing will begin when classes resume next month.
He said students in grades seven through 12 must pass the drug test before they’re approved for extracurricular events.
District officials said there is not a widespread drug problem amongst the student body but the school board wants to be “proactive” and ensure that students “have a drug-free environment.”
Wigington notes that administrators don’t want to hurt a student’s academic standing so there will be no suspensions for a positive test result.
Bushland is about 15 miles west of Amarillo.
— Bushland ISD (@BushlandISD) July 16, 2019
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