Katy ISD Does Away With Random Drug Testing for Students

On the Katy ISD website, the district states that “the use or misuse of illegal drugs, performance-enhancing drugs, and/or alcohol among students in grades 9–12 is a problem within the schools and community.” Because of the issue, Katy ISD was randomly drug testing students in grades 9 – 12 who take part in school-based extracurricular activities, and those who want to obtain parking passes to park on campus. They go on to explain that the drug testing program was meant to “serve as a deterrent” from drugs and alcohol, and it could allow school officials to step in and provide assistance to students in need.

Now, KHOU reports that the district has closed their drug testing program. The program, which costs about $100,000 to run, was voted down by the KISD board of trustees in June. They say that only three percent of students who were tested came back with positive results and that the use of drug sniffing dogs randomly searching the school was more useful than the sporadic drug tests.

But, not everyone agrees that getting rid of the testing is the right thing to do. Former Katy High School football player Michael Hardy told KHOU, “I think eliminating it will definitely be a negative… Because people won’t have that sense of urgency to stay away from drugs.”

The district says, “Katy ISD has opted for a more proactive and preventative approach aimed at educating students, rather than a reactive ‘caught you’ course of action. The focus of our programs will be on helping students live a drug-free life.”