New Castle school board discusses pre-hiring drug tests

By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Individuals interested in working for the New Castle Area School District might soon have to submit to a drug test before being hired.
The school board, at its caucus Monday, discussed a proposed policy that would require prospective employees to undergo drug screening as part of the interview process. The school board plans to vote on whether to approve the proposed policy at its meeting Thursday.
School officials explained that once an individual is hired, he cannot be randomly drug-tested unless it is suspected that he could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The pre-employment drug screenings would be conducted at no cost to the school district because each job candidate would be responsible for paying for it, they said.
Also, job applicants would receive notification of the drug test in writing and must submit to the screening within 24 hours of receiving the notice.
Computer-use policy
The school board is also considering adopting a policy that would govern how school board members and school district staff use computers provided by the school district, specifically laptops. Recently, the school district provided each school board member with a new laptop. Administrators said the proposed policy would prohibit the installation of nonapproved software.
Additionally, the laptops are to be used only for school business.
In other news, the school board announced it will conduct its reorganizational meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5.