BUSHLAND, TEXAS -- After several drug related incidents including a student overdose, the Bushland school district created a task force to curb drug and alcohol use in their schools.
Tuesday night, that task force presented their first efforts, and created a subcommittee. Faculty, parents, community members, and students will make up the subcommittee. They will focus on the best ways to bring about awareness of drugs and alcohol to the students.
They looked across the state to see what's working in other districts. Here's what they came up with, drug related education will begin in the classroom starting as early elementary school. The committee will also implement Drug Free Youth in Texas or DFYIT, a voluntary drug test for high school students. The tests aren't mandatory but Superintendent Don Wood hopes this will add some accountability to the student body.
"We hope that there is some peer pressure, why aren't you enrolled in this, is there a reason your not enrolled in DFYIT, and hopefully peer pressure will generate some, well, maybe I should be enrolled in that. Knowing they will be drug tested and on a random basis be drug tested as well."
DFYIT will be implemented this fall, and if it's successful they could begin the program in the junior high as well.
