Click Here to View the new Drug Policy
Next year employees at the Merrill Area Public School District may have to pass a controlled substances screening before they're hired.
Thursday afternoon a committee voted to send the drug policy recommendation to the full school board.
The discussion comes at a time when Jay Peterson, a Merrill district teacher and coach, remains on paid administrative leave after being named in a drug investigation that also involves Antigo Unified School District employees.
According to the district's interim superintendent, Bruce Anderson the current drug investigation did not prompt the proposed policy.
"Actually it was already on the docket so to speak as the board committee is going over the policies it just happened to coincide," Anderson said.
Nevertheless the committee unanimously approved the recommendation, which says that anyone who fails a drug screening won't be hired nor will anyone who refuses to take one.
The proposed policy says it's the intention of the school board that the workplace be free from hazards posed by alcohol, illegal drugs and the abuse of controlled substances.
Many school districts in our area do not have employee drug screening policies including Antigo, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids. D.C. Everest does have one and Merrill's could go into effect by the end of the year.
"The fact that we don't have a current drug testing policy.. this is just a great improvement I think it should be in every school district," said Lin Kautza, a school board member who sits on the policy committee.
The Department of Public Instruction leaves employee drug screening up to individual school districts.
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Merrill School Drug Testing
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