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Julia Roberts Goad

Staff Writer

WILLIAMSON -The STOP Coalition discussed the creation of a drug testing policy for students the Mingo County Board of Education (BOE) at its meeting this week.

The BOE is currently working on creating a policy on screening students for drug use. There is currently no drug testing of students in Mingo County schools.

Some counties drug test students who either drive to school or participate in extracurricular activities. Randy Keathley, Superintendent for Mingo schools, said he has suggested expanding the groups who would be tested.

“I have suggested that in addition to athletes, we test students in the career and technical programs as well as those in the health occupation programs,” Keathley said. “It is preparing them for the job market, they will have to be drug screened when they apply for jobs in their chosen field.”

Also at the STOP meeting, Joshua Murphy, Assistant Director, said Williamson Memorial Hospital has agreed to sponsor two after-prom parties at the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Center, one for each of the county’s high schools.

Murphy reported that STOP has recently offered training and services to 525 students, including life skills training and helping to form two chapters of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), one in Gilbert Middle School and another chapter at Mingo County High School.

STOP will bring the Drug Free All Stars, a basketball team that delivers drug prevention messages in schools and communities, to Lenore K8 School and Gilbert Middle School in March, Murphy said.