Struthers moves forward with athlete drug testing

Staff report

STRUTHERS

The Struthers Board of Education will have an open forum to discuss drug testing for student athletes.

The forum will be during its regular meeting in July.

Members of the school district’s drug- testing committee, at a special meeting of the board in May, proposed a policy for student athletes in grades seven through 12.

The committee has since recommended a $20 upfront fee for the testing. If a student plays a second sport, he or she will pay an additional, but reduced, fee of $10. Playing a third sport will not incur another fee.

“The total they’ll pay for an excellent program to help keep them straight is $30,” said Joseph Nohra, superintendent. “I’ve received a lot of positive phone calls [about the proposed drug-testing policy], and not one negative.”

Board members could approve the policy as soon as the July meeting, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. July 16 at one of the district’s school buildings, to be announced.