Breathalyzer Policy for School District #27??

Last year - a Fort St John high school principal got caught using a breathalyzer in enforcing the drug/alcohol policy for secondary school students in School District #60

In the meantime - Superintendent Terry Sullivan in School District #73 heard this story and realized that his School District had no policy governing the use of breathalyzers' and as a consequence - the Board of Education for School District # 73 is looking into a policy amendments to its' existing Drug/Alcohol Policy to help govern the use of breathalyzers' - read an article from the Vancouver Sun here

The draft policy (use of breathalyzers') for use in School District #73 is, as proposed:

For greater certainty in enforcing these Regulations, school staff may conduct breathalyzer tests to confirm whether a student has used alcohol, as follows:

a) Breathalyzer tests shall be conducted by school staff who have been properly trained to do so.
b) School staff shall have reasonable suspicion that a student has used alcohol, for example due to a student’s odour or behaviour, or information provided to the administrator by other students.
c) School staff may conduct breathalyzer tests during normal school hours and extra-curricular activities.
d) If a student refuses to take the breathalyzer test, school staff may rely on such refusal to conclude that a student has been using alcohol, and the student shall then be subject to the consequences outlined in this Regulation

Read the full SD #73 Agenda Item here

In the meantime - the Board of Education for School District #73 has deferred a decision pending consultation with local parents - see the article from the Kamloops Daily News here

When I read the Kamloops Daily News story - I decided to take a look at School District 27's current policy on drug/alcohol & use of breathalyzers' which you can read the policy yourself here

When I learned it contained no language, with regards to breathalyzers' - I contacted Diane Wright - Superintendent of Schools for School District #27, as follows last Friday:

I was wondering if I may inquire as to if use of breathalyzers within School District #27 is permitted, at the moment…?

The reason I ask is that School District #73, as I understand it, is looking at policy governing the use of breathalyzers in that School District and I also understand that a school principal in Fort St John was criticized for the use of one in that school district

While I’m aware of SD #27’s Policy regarding Alcohol/Drugs on school property – I’m wondering if our School District ought to be proactive in this regard, given the proliferation of these devices (breathalyzers) and the need to ensure SD #27 Administration is not “caught off-guard” by the potential use of these devices and the potential negative media that could result if it were revealed that a principal in our school district had use one… just like the case in Fort St John

As of 4:30pm yesterday - I had not yet heard from Ms. Wright.  I think the Board of Education for School District #27 should seriously look into this issue including whether or not to include a clause in the existing Drug/Alcohol policy regarding use of breathalyzers' in secondary schools' in School District #27, lest we find ourselves in similar circumstances found in Fort St John (School District #60)