Starting this fall, administrators at Winfield High School will be able to use breath tests at school events to determine if students and their guests have been drinking.
Board of education members passed the new policy at their regular meeting Monday, according to a statement released by USD 465. WHS principal Greg Rinehart has addressed the board over the last several months to help develop the policy.
School officials may choose to use breathalyzer tests on all students, some students according to a predetermined pattern, or any student identified by an indicator at school or school-sponsored events.
Administrators may determine possible student alcohol use based on indicators such as slurred speech, unsteady gait, impaired motor control, smell of liquor, vomiting, or evidence of alcohol possession.
If a student is determined to have consumed alcohol, the police will be notified, parents will be notified, and disciplinary action will be taken as outlined in the student handbook.
If a student who is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol refuses the test, the police department and parents will be notified and the student will be subject to disciplinary action for refusing to comply with an administrative request.
Rinehart shared with the board results of a recent survey taken by WHS students in which 36 percent of the respondents said they drink “sometimes” and 31 said say they think it is “okay” for students their age to drink.