The present

Lovejoy High School has been randomly drug testing extracurricular UIL students and athletes for four years. Fine Arts Director Dr. Fela Mathy said that the Lovejoy staff implemented drug testing to help students make better decisions.

“When you think about students having activities on the weekend, especially kids involved in sports or fine arts, when they have that idea that drug testing could impact their opportunity to participate, I think it gives them another level to say no,” Mathy said.

Drug testing was first implemented at Lovejoy during the 2016-2017 school year, and the program began with only UIL athletes. The Board of Trustees ruled it as a success, and the testing was expanded to all UIL participants, including fine arts, the following school year.

The school holds four to six rounds of testing each year and 10 percent of UIL students are required to provide a urine sample each time. Only five students are allowed in the restrooms at once, and officials from the school’s hired testing lab wait outside the restrooms to take students’ samples to the lab.

“When the students go in to provide their urine sample, one of the things you have to think about is anyone who might want to cheat the system,” Mathy said. “And so whenever they provide their sample in the cup, the drug collector measures the temperature, and there’s a certain range of temperature that the urine has to be in order to be considered a good sample.”

If a student fails a drug test, their parents and coach or director are alerted. The news also reaches the athletics or fine arts director, and the director of special services. Mathy supports the school’s decision to keep the student’s test results within the family and the district.

“Sometimes students will make a mistake, and how do we go forward from that?” Mathy said. “It shouldn’t be something that defines them for the rest of their high school career.”

Along with confidentiality, support is offered to the student. After testing positive, students will have a meeting with their parents, coach or director, and district officials to discuss the test. Consequences such as sitting out some of their season are discussed.

“I think it’s important to know your kids and listen to what they are saying, and just talk them through it,” Mathy said.

A counseling track for the student is also discussed. This could mean anything from checking in with a campus counselor once a week to seeking professional help outside the district. Mathy believes that a “one size fits all” approach to counseling would not be beneficial. She said that it is important to consider each student’s personal situation when determining the next steps.

“Every kid is different,” Mathy said. “One student, it could be the first time they experimented with drugs and got caught, versus the student who maybe for the last year has been experimenting.”

Though Mathy strongly believes in drug testing, she understands some students’ aversion to it.

“Some young people want to do what they want to do on a weekend and not have any accountability, so I understand all of that,” Mathy said. “But I also think it’s OK to want you to be healthy and this is one thing we can do to help you with that. Is it awkward to go and use the restroom in a cup at school? Of course it is. I mean, nobody wants to do that. But it’s a part of helping make sure that we’re healthy.”

Along with promoting health, Mathy thinks that the conversations opened up between students and adults is beneficial.

“From the adult side, I think it’s been a really positive thing,” Mathy said. “If for no other reason, it forces us to have some really crucial conversations with our kids.”