Franklin High School to start testing for synthetic drugs
FRANKLIN, Ind. (WISH) – A Johnson County high school is preparing to start testing students for synthetic drugs.
Franklin Community High School is able to expand the scope of their testing to include synthetic drugs and the number of students that they can test thanks to grant money.
The Director of Athletics for Franklin Community Schools, John Regas, says the goal is to build awareness letting students know that drugs will not be tolerated on campus.
“We’re not looking to get kids in trouble and catch a bunch of kids. That’s actually not what we’re trying to do,” said Regas.
The high school was recently approved for grant money. Around $4,700 will be used to help pay for the new testing. The policy will affect anywhere between 600 to 900 students.
Students driving to school, active in sports, inter-scholastic, or co-curricular activities like choir and band will be subjected to random testing.
“We have a random number generator that’s done and it selects students based upon on a random number that they’re assigned to and those students get tested,” said Regas.
However, Regas says if faculty or staff have reason to believe that a student may be under the influence of drugs, then he or she will be subjected as well.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office supports the measure.
“Last Mother’s Day, I went to a residence in Greenwood to notify a mother and a step-father that their 16-year-old son had died overnight from a drug called N-Bomb,” said Sheriff Doug Cox, from Johnson County sheriff’s office.
The tragedy of losing Samuel Motsay in the community is not only pushing schools, but also law enforcement to find a solution to combat synthetic drugs.
“In a lot of cases you find younger kids whose brain hasn’t developed yet,” said Cox. “They’re going to try to find ways to defeat the system so I give credit to Franklin.”
School officials have not formally notified students of the testing yet, but say they will start testing students later this month.
The new testing will cost the school $100 compared to $25.